


Faithless Memories

by Chaosmoon75 (Chaosmoon)



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2019-10-14 10:00:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 108,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17506466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaosmoon/pseuds/Chaosmoon75
Summary: "Can you really not remember your name? If that's the case, why don't I give you one for now?" Zack found a girl outside his village near dead. She had no past and an uncertain future, but somehow she became inextricably tied to his life. How will her presence affect him once he is finally old enough to follow his dream of joining Soldier, and what other lives might end up touched?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have two new stories that have been rattling around in my brain that are clamoring to be added to my (ever growing) list of fics that I want to work on. Until I finish one of my others though, I cannot promise regular updates. This one has a solid outline though, so it will eventually start having regular updates. Until then, please enjoy!

## Chapter 1

Zack had managed to get out of classes early.  Their village was so small that not only were there combined ages in each class, but there were many times when the students had to leave to help their families.  He didn’t really lie when he said his mother needed help, so he didn’t feel too bad about telling his teacher he couldn’t stay.  It was just that his mother wasn’t expecting him for another hour.  When he looked up at the sunny sky and felt the breeze blow past him, he couldn’t hold in a smile.  He enjoyed being outdoors, and days like that one were too nice to be cooped up.

He was set on making the most of the little time he had and started to head into the woods outside of the village.  He was stopped when he heard a strange sound.  He was on high alert as he pulled out his little knife.  Even though he was only twelve the threat of monsters had most of the people in the village carrying at least that much for self-defense.  Not that there had been monsters this close to town in a long time, but it paid to be safe.

He didn’t move for several moments and waited to see if he heard anything again.  He was shocked when it happened again and he realized it didn’t sound like a monster, it sounded like a person.  He didn’t put the knife away, but he quickly moved toward the sound.  It was a short distance from the trail when he finally found the source of the noise.  He was shocked to stillness at what he found.  On the ground in front of him was a young woman that was in bad shape.  She was covered in cuts and bruises and he could tell just by looking that one of her arms was badly broken.  Her groans of pain were what had caught his attention.

When she groaned again, he finally jumped into action.  He put his knife away and tried to see if he could get her to talk to him.  He patted her face gently to try and get her to focus on him.  Her eyes were opened but unfocused.  After several moments she finally locked eyes with him.  His voice was shaky, but he managed to speak.  “I can get you to help, but I don’t think I can carry you.  Do you think you can walk at all?”

She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.  She grimaced in pain and Zack nearly panicked.  She must have noticed it as she managed to bring her unbroken hand up and clasped his arm.  When he looked back at her she managed a nod.  Relief flooded him as he leaned over to help her sit up.  When she did, he nearly panicked again as she swayed dangerously before she managed to gather her wits.  Once she was steadier, she gave him another nod and tried to use his help to leverage up to her feet.  He could tell that she was in more than a little pain once she was standing, but he let her lean on him as they made their way back to the trail and into the village.  It was slow going, especially as she was taller than him, but they managed it in less time than he expected, even if it had felt like it took forever.

When they reached the outskirts of the village, their appearance started an uproar.  Several of the woman were either rushing the small children away or rushing to see what had happened.  Zack was relieved when he saw his mother in the crowd.  She made it to the two of them quickly and helped him steady the woman as they both led her to their house.  It didn’t take her long to get the girl lying down before she tasked Zack with gathering the things she would need.  Once he was set to that, she walked back outside and asked a couple of the women that had followed them to gather what she didn’t have and asked the rest to disperse.

Even though they all did as she asked, the whole village was still awash with conjecture.  They didn’t get visitors often, and they certainly didn’t get visitors that were in the shape the young woman was in.  Zack was stopped several times, but he didn’t let them keep him.  He had never seen anyone that was as badly hurt as the woman had been and he didn’t want to not follow his mother’s direction, not with something this important.

It was several hours later that Zack finally saw his mom leave the tiny house.  She looked worried and that didn’t sit well with him.  He wondered if something had gone wrong.  He had been watching from a tree nearby so people would quit bothering him, but as soon as he saw his mother, he jumped down and headed back to the house.  Before he got there, he was stopped by his mother’s voice.  She was talking to one of the women that had helped earlier.  “It definitely wasn’t a monster attack.  Once I got her cleaned a little it was easy to see the bruises, especially the ones around her neck, were made by a person.  I doubt it happened anywhere nearby as some of her wounds were days old.  There isn’t anything within a day’s walk of here though.  I can’t imagine how she managed to make it all the way out here.”

The other woman started to voice her concerns, but Zack had tuned them out.  He remembered how the girl had looked and he couldn’t understand why anyone would do that to another person.  Even as young as he was, he knew the difference between the results of a fight and what he had seen earlier.  He had seen people attacked by monsters that didn’t look as bad.

He was pulled from his thoughts by his mother’s hand on his shoulder.  He looked up to her with a frown, but she managed to smile.  “I suppose you heard that, did you?”

He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but he wasn’t going to lie.  He gave her a nod and she squeezed his shoulder.  “Don’t let it bother you.  As soon as she is well enough to talk, we’ll figure everything out.  For now, it’s just good that you found her.  I’ve healed her as good as I was able to without any potions or materia.”

At that Zack perked up a little.  “Mom, you know I found those phoenix downs in the forest.  I stashed them for when I’m old enough to go to Midgar, but we can use a couple of them if we need to.  I’m always finding interesting stuff.”

She gave him another smile.  “I appreciate that you would be willing to share with a stranger, but you keep those.  She’s in no danger of needing one right now, so it would only be a waste.  It’ll be alright though, all we need is time.”

They both turned back to the house at that, but his mother stopped him once more with a hand on his shoulder.  “Also, I don’t want you to play in the forest alone, at least not until we figure out what happened, alright?”

He grimaced at her request, but he knew she was only doing it out of worry.  “Yes, ma’am.”  She gave him another smile and led him back inside.

* * *

 

It was three more days before the girl was able to sit up on her own and talk.  They had moved her to a pallet in the front room near the fire, so when Mrs. Fair got up that morning to get everything ready, the girl sat up and tried to get her attention.  It took her several tries before she could make her voice work and it was still a little gravelly, but it worked to get the woman’s attention.

Mrs. Fair jumped at the sound, but it only took her a moment to realize what it was, and she turned with a smile.  “Oh!  You’re up!  How are you feeling dear?”

The girl started to try and stand but Mrs. Fair was by her side in an instant with a hand on her shoulder.  “Don’t try to get up yet.  You had several broken bones, including a couple of ribs.  You are far from healed, so you stay right there.  Is there something you needed?”

The girl looked a little frightened when she was reminded of her physical state, but she managed to push it back and answer.  “I wanted to thank you.  I don’t remember much, but I know I saw your face.  Thank you for helping me.”

The older woman smiled down at her, glad that she was finally well enough to speak.  “There is no need to thank us.  We only did what any good citizen would do.”  She paused for a moment and debated on whether she should ask her next question but decided it would come up soon anyway.  “Do you remember what happened?”

At that, the girl looked down at her broken arm and the many bandages that covered her.  She could feel them on her legs too, even if she couldn’t see them.  When she looked back though, her expression was nearly terrified.  Her voice was choked when she was finally able to speak.  “I don’t… I don’t remember anything!”

Mrs. Fair knelt down and tried to calm her.  “Don’t worry about it too much.  I’m sure it’ll come back to you.”

The girl didn’t seem to be appeased though.  She reached out frantically and grabbed the older woman’s outstretched hand.  “You don’t understand.  I don’t remember anything!  I can’t even remember my name!”

At that Mrs. Fair finally sat back with a gasp.  Her shock didn’t last long though.  She quickly leaned forward and gave the girl a gentle hug.  “It’ll be okay.  You’re safe here and you can take all the time you need to get better and try to remember.”

By this time the girl had finally given in and started crying.  Mrs. Fair had sat down beside her with her arms holding her gently and tried to get her to calm.  Neither woman had noticed that Zack had wakened.  He had come in on the last part of the conversation and he watched the two women with worry.  He had helped his mother as much as he could over the last few days, so he knew how worried she had been, and it looked like it had been for good reason.  It didn’t help that there were a handful of the villagers that kept pushing to have the girl sent away.  Their argument was the fact that none of them knew anything, and they couldn’t find anything in the woods either.  There were wild conjectures that went from ‘she’s an escaped prisoner’ to ‘she’s a spy that got caught’.  The one thing they all had in common was the fact that they believed she would bring trouble.  Luckily, they were the minority and most people were just glad that Zack had found her and brought her to help.

He didn’t bother the two women, instead he moved to start the water for tea.  He knew his mother would want it as soon as the girl calmed.  He also started the porridge.  It wasn’t something he was good at yet, as he didn’t do it often, but he figured he could try, since his mother was busy.  At least she wouldn’t have to worry about it.

Mrs. Fair looked up when she heard noises from the other side of the room and smiled at the sight of her son gathering the things up for tea and breakfast without having to be asked.  She sent up a thankful prayer that she had been blessed with such a wonderful child.  It wasn’t long until the girl finally calmed.  The older woman made sure she didn’t try to move as she stood and helped Zack finish breakfast.  Once it was done, she had Zack take the girl a plate and cup while she moved to go finish the rest of her morning chores.

Once Zack handed her the stuff, he brought his own down to sit beside her.  She gave him a slight smile as he sat down.  “From the bits and pieces I can remember, I owe you a lot of thanks.  There is no telling what would have happened if you hadn’t found me.”

He ducked his head at her praise but remembered his manners.  “You’re welcome.  I’m just glad I was able to help.  I’m Zack, by the way.”  He only paused for a moment at that.  “Can you really not even remember your name?”

At his innocent question, the girl’s face fell but she managed to keep from crying again.  She gave him a slight nod.  “Once your mother asked me if I could remember what happened, I tried to and realized I have no memories from before you found me.  Even since I was brought here, they’re hazy and fragmented.”

He felt bad that his question had made her sad again, but it seemed that talking about it was helping, so he kept going.  “If that’s the case, why don’t I give you a name, at least one you can use until you get yours back.”

The girl looked confused for a moment at his request, but he was wearing such a huge grin that she couldn’t stay sad about her circumstances.  “Sure, at least then everyone will have something to call me by instead of ‘girl’.”

Zack’s grin widened before he settled in to try and think of something while they finished eating.  It wasn’t until they were done, and Zack cleared their dishes away that he came back to sit beside her and offer his suggestions.  “Okay, so I have a few.  What about Zoe?”

She couldn’t stop the crinkling of her nose at that.  “For some reason I don’t feel like that fits me.  What else?”

Zack went through several more and he was starting to feel a little frustrated, but he pulled out one more.  “How about Kristobel?  We can call you Kris for short.” 

Finally, she smiled at him.  “Kristobel is a pretty name.  I like it.  So, I guess that makes me Kris for now?”

Zack stood with a whoop that caught his mother’s attention.  She was quick to reprimand him.  “Zack, are you bothering that poor girl?  She needs her rest.  Why don’t you go get some firewood brought in before you have to leave?”

He looked a little abashed at the reprimand, but it only lasted a moment before his grin was back full force.  “I wasn’t bothering her; Kris and I were just trying to figure out her name.”

At that his mother turned wide eyes back to the girl.  “You’ve remembered your name already?!”

The girl gave her a sad smile and shook her head.  “No, but Zack was kind enough to offer me a name to use until I can remember my own.  We decided on Kristobel.”

His mother gave them both a warm smile at that.  “That’s a lovely name.  Well, if you are alright with it, we will use that for now.”  She turned her look back to Zack.  “As for you, I still need the firewood and you have class, so get on now.”

He was still grinning as he waved goodbye to them both and walked out.  By that time, Mr. Fair had already gotten up as well.  He was surprised to see their guest up already, but he didn’t have much time before he had to leave.  He briefly wished Kris well, and headed out to work.  Once things settled down, Mrs. Fair insisted that Kris lay back down and sleep while she could.  It didn’t take much convincing as she was still exhausted.

* * *

 

It was a couple of weeks before Kris was able to get up and move around on her own.  She still had to take it easy due to her broken ribs and arm, but she insisted on helping as much as she was able.  It was the least she could do to repay them for helping her and giving her a place to stay.  During those weeks Zack was almost always there in his spare time, asking her questions or showing her around the village, once she was well enough to leave the house.  He told her every story he could think of as well as his plans to leave for Midgar and join Soldier as soon as he was old enough.  He was counting down the days.

Kris let him lead her where he wanted to since she still had not been able to remember anything about herself.  She tried to remember and asked as many questions about the surrounding area as she could think of in an attempt to jog something out, but her memories remained locked up.

By her sixth week she was well enough that she didn’t need their care anymore.  It was one afternoon that week that she approached Zack’s mother, whom she had finally found out was named Sarah.  “I wanted to talk to you about something.  Do you have a moment?”

The older woman turned to her with a smile.  “Of course, dear.  What is it?”

“First off, I would like to thank you for everything you and your family have done to help me.  The whole village in fact, but I can’t keep being a burden.  I really appreciate everything, but I think I should go now.  I know there are some people that think that whatever happened to me might cause trouble for the village and I don’t want that to happen.  You have all been too kind.”

At that point Sarah stopped her.  “Hush, there is no need to worry about that.  If trouble was going to follow you, it would have been here already.  Plus, you are not being a burden.  You have been helping out since you could move properly.”

Kris looked like she wanted to interrupt but Sarah motioned her to stillness while she continued.  “I will not force you to stay if you can answer one question for me.”  Kris gave her a nod that she would, and Sarah continued.  “If you leave, where will you go?  Did you remember something that could point you to your previous life, or are you planning on wandering aimlessly?”

Kris opened her mouth several times to try and answer before she could find the words.  She looked down with a frown when she spoke.  “I didn’t really have a plan.  I don’t know where I could go, but I feel like I’m getting in the way here.”

“Nonsense.”  Sarah pulled her chin up and gave her a stern look.  “I’ve already said you aren’t a burden.  If you feel that you need to contribute more, then we will find something for you to help with.  In the meantime, you just focus on trying to remember.  If you do, then we will make sure you can reach wherever you need to go.  There is no point in you running off just to get killed by a monster in the wilds.”  Again, Kris looked like she wanted to interrupt but Sarah hushed her.  “No arguments.  We will start looking tomorrow for something that you can do.  For now, let’s start dinner.  The boys will be home soon enough.”

Kris gave her a smile and shook her head before wrapping the woman up in a tight hug.  “I’m really glad it was Zack that found me.  You all have been a blessing and I’m glad I got the chance to know you.”  She let Sarah go and wiped at the dampness in the corner of her eyes before she turned to the cabinets to pull out what they would need for dinner as she called back over her shoulder.  “I’m sure Zack and Zeke will be starving like normal.  Let’s make sure they have a good dinner.”  Sarah gave her a smile and squeezed her shoulder before she turned to start cutting up the vegetables that had been pulled out.


	2. Chapter 2

## Chapter 2

After her conversation with Sarah, Kris tried to let go of her worries, both the ones about bringing trouble to the village and the ones about her missing memories.  She knew there wasn’t much she could do about either until, or unless, something changed.  Instead, she focused on becoming a productive member of their little community. 

It was only a couple of days after the conversation that she was asked to help a group of women with the younger children.  She wasn’t allowed to teach, but most days the women with children that were younger than school age let them all gather and play, at least for the first half of the day, while they finished their work.  Kris was happy to help and found that it didn’t take long for most of the families to become familiar with her through their children at least.  After less than three months, the worry about where she was from had all but disappeared.

While that work kept her busy for the first half of the day, her afternoons were still mostly free.  She started trying to find odd jobs to help the villagers, as well as to support the Fairs, since she was still living with them.  Even with that being the case, more often than not, she found herself assisting Zack with his chores.  With both of them taking care of things, they managed to get them done faster, and much to Zack’s delight, they had more time for exploration.  Kris was impressed with the boy when she realized that it wasn’t just so he could get away.  Although that was part of it, he also used his time to see if he could find anything worthwhile to bring back and sell or use.  There were several times, once summer rolled around, that they both came back with baskets full of berries and other wild fruit.

Kris had been with the Fairs for nearly six months, when something unexpected happened during one of their forays into the woods.  They had brought their baskets with them and headed straight for one of the patches of berries they had checked just the week before.  They had been not quite ripe the first time they checked.  They hadn’t been picking very long when they heard a loud rustle in the underbrush nearby.  Kris was the first to notice and she stood to see if there was anything she could see.  When she did, she realized that they had backed themselves up against a cliff that was nearly twice her height.  If something was coming at them from the woods, they were going to have difficulties getting past it.

Her worries were brought to life when a giant lizard-like creature slithered into the little clearing.  It was apparently after the berries as well, but as soon as it saw the two of them, it stood up on its hind legs and spread a membrane out around its head.  Kris had no idea what it was, but she wasn’t going to take the chance of it attacking.  She didn’t say anything before she grabbed Zack and shoved him behind her.  He started to protest, but she ignored it.  Her voice was low but hard when she whispered back to him.  “I’m going to get its attention and try to run past it.  As soon as it turns away from you, I want you to run back to the village and get help.”

He started to protest but she cut him off when the lizard took a step forward.  “We don’t have time to argue!  You know you’re faster than me anyway!”

He made a noise like he wanted to keep arguing, but when the lizard took another step forward, Kris ran towards it with a yell.  Her sudden movement seemed to confuse the beast for a split second and that was the only thing that saved her.  As she was racing past, it let out a rancid blast of breath.  It barely missed her, but she still caught a whiff of it, and it made her gag.  Even though her heart was nearly racing out of her chest at the near miss, she was glad to note it had turned to follow her.  She allowed herself a single glance back.  When she saw Zack still standing there, she yelled.  “Go!”

The look nearly cost her as the lizard prepared to blast her again, but she caught a low hanging limb as she raced past and managed to use her momentum to help her swing up into the tree and hook her knees around a nearby limb so she could pull herself up.  She ignored the pain of the bark scraping her palms and legs as the breath barely missed her.  She climbed up farther to distance herself while she tried to think of a way out.

She managed to get up several more limbs and turned to see where the lizard was.  It had stopped at the base of the tree and looked like it had tried to reach up for her.  When it realized she was out of reach, it opened its mouth to blast her once again.  She panicked when she realized she didn’t have anywhere to run, and she was still within range of the attack.  She grabbed another limb near her head to try and scramble out of the way when it gave and broke off under her weight.  At the unexpected loss of support, she found herself falling backwards towards the waiting monster.  She still seemed to have luck on her side though, when she landed right on top of it and managed to both break her fall, and stop the monster from attacking.

Her landing managed to daze the monster, but it hadn’t done any favors for Kris either.  When she landed, the monster’s mouth had been opened and her left arm had scraped painfully across the fangs.  She was only lucky the beast hadn’t bitten down at the same time.  One of her ankles had been twisted in the fall as well, but it still managed to hold her weight, even if it was screaming at her.

She managed to make it to her feet before the monster did, luckily.  She knew running was no longer an option though, so she grabbed the limb that had fallen with her.  It wasn’t much, but it had to be better than nothing.  Once she had it in her hands, she was surprised to find that it felt familiar, or at least like she had used something similar before.  It was a weird feeling, almost like a memory, but not quite.  She was further surprised when the monster finally stood and lunged for her and her body seemed to know exactly how to handle the makeshift staff.

When it got close enough, she spun on her good ankle and landed a clear blow against the side of the monster’s head and knocked it back.  By the time it stood and faced her again, she was already in position for another blow.  It was angry by that time and lunged at her while preparing for another breath attack.  She couldn’t dodge it, so she ran towards it, and the breath passed over her.  At the same time, she brought the staff around again and managed to daze the creature once more.  While it was down, she was close enough that she could strike it again before it had a chance to get up.  The thick branch she had been using broke on impact, but she also heard the sickening sound of the beast’s skull cracking.

She watched it twitch for a moment before it went still.  She didn’t want to take any chances though, so she backed up slowly and grabbed the larger portion of the branch that had fallen.  It was more like a little club by that point, but she felt better with something in her hands.

She jumped when she heard crashing through the underbrush again, but when she saw it was Zack with several of the men from the village, she fell into her bottom.  Her knees suddenly felt like jelly and couldn’t seem to handle her weight.  Zack was by her side in an instant and had his canteen out to help clean her arm.  Her attention was drawn by one of the village councilmen that had come with the group.  His voice was slightly hard when he spoke.  “I’m glad to see that you’re both alright, but how did you manage to handle this thing by yourself?”  He paused when he saw the limb she still held in one hand.  “You fought with a stick?”

She tried to answer him, but she found that her tongue felt like it was taking up too much room in her mouth suddenly and her eyesight was getting blurry.  She managed to get something out, but it was slurred.  “I’m not sure how, but it felt familiar.”

That was all she could manage before she started swaying, even in her seated position.  When she nearly fell, Zack realized that the cut he had just cleaned, must have been poisoned as well.  He turned to the men with wide eyes.  “We need an antidote!  Does anyone have one?”

One of the other men that had been inspecting the downed animal, and verifying it was dead, hurried over at his yell.  “Here.  It looks like it bit her.  It wouldn’t have been so bad otherwise, but this should help enough that she’ll be fine with rest.”

Zack didn’t waste any time in leaning her back and tilting her head so that the antidote would go down.  She had just enough presence of mind to swallow.  Once that was down, he laid her back and looked her over nervously for any other injuries that might have been missed.  He didn’t get far in his inspection before he was interrupted by the councilman.  “Zack, why don’t you accompany the men back with that gagighandi.  You know, one that size will fetch you at least 200 gil with the merchant.  You take care of that and I’ll take Kris back to your house.”

Zack looked like he wanted to argue with the man, but he didn’t say anything right away.  When the man realized he was wavering he chuckled and spoke again.  “Do you think I can’t get her there by myself?  Don’t worry so much.  Besides, it’s obvious that she is made of pretty stern stuff.  She’s just out because of the poison.  It’ll be out of her system by the time we make it back and she’ll be fine with some rest.  Since she can’t take the monster to the merchant, you’ll have to.  Although, I would advise you to split a little bit of your profit with the men that are helping you.”

At his words, Zack finally perked up again, although it was easy to see he was still worried.  “Alright.  I’ll make sure it’s waiting for her when she wakes up.  And don’t worry, you know I would never forget to repay someone that helps me!  We got this!”

His grin made the gathered men laugh as he rushed over to help them rig a way to drag it back to town.  Once he was busy, the councilman picked Kris up.  He headed straight for town, but his frown didn’t go away.  As personable as the girl was, the fact that she could handle taking down a monster nearly twice as big as her made all the questions that came up at her arrival seem much more valid.

* * *

 

Later that evening, Kris was sitting at the table in the Fair’s kitchen, wearing a chagrined look.  Sarah had been fussing over her all afternoon, and once Zack got back, he hadn’t stopped talking.  Part of it had been telling them all how impressed the merchant had been and his excitement over the fact that they had managed to bring back more than a few measly berries.  The rest of it was questions.  He wanted to know, blow by blow, how she had managed to kill the beast.  He hadn’t been satisfied when she told him that it had been mostly luck.

Word traveled fast in the small town, and by the time she was awake, they had already had several visitors to see if she was alright.  It made her feel nice to know people cared, but she was still trying to find her place in their community and the whole incident seemed to cause another uproar.  At least most of the people that stopped by were happy that she had kept her head and had Zack run back.  She managed to get him to finally stop asking questions with a promise that she would recreate it as best as she was able once her ankle was better.  That made his night and he didn’t lose his grin until he fell asleep.

* * *

 

It was two days later that Sarah relented and allowed her to go back to helping the young women that handled the toddlers in the morning.  That was all she was allowed to do though.  It was more than five weeks before she could get around with more than a hobble using a makeshift cane.  It probably wouldn’t have taken so long if she hadn’t abused it after it was sprained during the fight.

Zack hadn’t let her forget about her promise either, and he tried to be patient, but she could tell that it was wearing thin.  It didn’t help that his birthday was only a few days after she had managed to start walking without help.  She was still not up to climbing trees, but she renewed her promise to show him how it had all happened, or at least try to.

When his birthday rolled around, they had a small party for him.  A few of the boys that were close to his age came, but they all ended up outside playing some game that involved a ball and makeshift goals.  Kris couldn’t remember seeing anything quite like it, but some parts of it tugged at her memories.  Not enough to produce anything though.

By the time the boys had finally started winding down, Sarah had called them in for dinner.  She had made Zack’s favorite dishes.  One of them was a new one that Kris had introduced.  She called it fajitas.  She had no idea where the name came from, as no one else had ever heard of it, but it was easy to make and most of the ingredients were readily available.  It was only difficult if they used a rarer type of meat, which Sarah had made sure to obtain for the party.  Zack’s face lit up as soon as he entered the room and he let out an exuberant whoop as he made a beeline for the table.  The rest of his friends eyed the mixed selection dubiously, but once they took their first taste, it wasn’t long until it was all gone.

Once dinner was finished the guests finally made their way back to their own homes.  After they were gone the family got ready for bed.  It was such a small house that they had rigged Zack’s room up with a divider so both he and Kris could share the room and still have a little privacy.  Most days neither of them minded it much.  It wasn’t like most families that had more than one child weren’t set up the same way.  No one in Gongaga could really be considered well off.

It was as they were getting ready for bed that Kris finally pulled out her gift.  She couldn’t really explain why, but she had wanted to wait until they were alone to give it to him.  “Hey, birthday boy, you decent?”

He laughed at her quip before answering.  “Sure, what’s up?”

She walked around the divider and gave him a big smile before she held out her hands.  “I got you a little something.  I hope you like it.”

His eyebrows went up and his grin nearly split his face as he took the small package from her.  “Thanks!  I wasn’t expecting anything.”

She ruffled his hair a little as he unwrapped it.  He swatted at her hand, but it was only halfheartedly.  When he finally got it opened his jaw dropped and he looked at it in shock for several seconds before he looked up and pounced on her.  “This is perfect!  Where did you find it?”

It was a small compass, but it wasn’t a flimsy one.  It was solid metal with a clasping cover and pouch that went with it that you could attach to a belt.  She hugged him back quickly before she pushed back and smiled.  “I’m glad you like it.  I asked Mr. Thomas if he could keep an eye out for something like it.  He was happy to help after we sold him that gagighandi.  He said he made more profit from it then he thought he would.  Anyway, I figured if you’re going to be leaving for Midgar someday, then it might come in handy.  You don’t want to get lost on the way, right?”

He gave her shoulder a playful shove before he pulled her in for another hug.  “Thanks Sis.”

When she pulled back, she quirked an eyebrow at him.  “Sis?”

He blushed a little and scratched the back of his head in his usual nervous fashion before he responded.  “I had planned on asking if it would be okay to call you that.  I mean, you’re practically a part of our family.”

Kris could feel moisture gathering in her eyes, but her grin was fit to break her face.  “Who wouldn’t want a brother like you.  Just don’t forget that you’re the one that asked _me_ when you get annoyed at me for not letting you skip out on chores.”

His brows wrinkled in a frown, but the effect was ruined by the fact that he couldn’t manage to stop smiling.  She laughed at the look before she turned him around to face his bed.  “Get to sleep.  Tomorrow is likely to be harder since we goofed off today.”

He finally lost his grin as he looked back over his shoulder when she reminded him that the chores hadn’t gone away for his birthday, they just got put off.  “Way to ruin the mood.”

She laughed as she went back to her own side of the divider.  Once they were both settled, and the only sounds were the sounds of the summer night outside.  She whispered.  “Goodnight little brother.”

* * *

 

The next day wasn’t as hard as Zack had expected, but they still took longer than they usually did to get everything finished.  Luckily, it was still summer, and they had several hours of daylight left.  As soon as they finished, he grabbed Kris and pulled her into the woods.  They didn’t go all the way back to where they were attacked, but the clearing they stopped in was similar.  He turned to her with excitement in his eyes.  “Ok, now the monster is just about to come in from that side of the clearing and you told me off for wanting to protect you.  What did you do next?”

She laughed at his introduction to the issue.  “Well Mr. Hero, I wasn’t really thinking about who was protecting who.  As soon as I saw it, I had a basic plan that would have better chances of at least one of us getting away.  Besides, I hadn’t planned on fighting it.”

He wrinkled his nose at her teasing but paused at the last part of her statement.  “You didn’t plan on fighting?”

She shook her head and gave him a stern look.  “No.  I had hoped to lead it away and hide from it while you got away.  I was only going to keep it occupied until you brought back help, but things don’t always work out the way you want them to.”

 He had a slight frown when he asked what was on his mind.  “Then why did you fight it?”

She chuckled and shook her head.  “I know patience isn’t really in your arsenal, but if you let me get to it, you’ll see.”

He glared at her, but he couldn’t hold it long.  He was soon grinning again.  “Well get moving then!”

She rolled her eyes at him but turned and started talking.  “So, if we pretend it was coming from over there, once it was in front of us, I had you run back, and I ran towards it.”  She paused and jogged to the edge of the clearing before she continued.  “After I verified it was chasing me, I ran and looked for a way to get out of its way, since it was faster than me.  I caught the first limb that was low enough and swung up so I could climb.”

She had been walking while she spoke.  Once she found a tree that was close to the same size as the one she had used, she quickly climbed up until she was three limbs up, before she turned back to look down at him.  She laughed when she saw that he was already on the limb below her.  “At least I won’t have to yell.  Anyway, once I got to this point, I looked back and found that I wasn’t out of range.  I tried to climb higher and the branch broke off.  After that, things get a little blurry, but I do know I fell right on top of the thing.”

She nudged him with her foot, and he got the hint that she wanted down.  Once they were both on the ground she leaned against the tree.  “All I remember clearly from that point is that I picked up the limb that had fallen with me and used it to keep whacking the thing until it didn’t get back up.”

He looked a little disappointed that she was out of details already, but he suddenly perked up again.  “How did you know how to use the stick like a weapon.  Are you saying that was all luck too?  You did tell the headman that it felt familiar.  What did you mean by that?”

She laughed at his bombardment.  “Ok speedy, one question at a time.  First, I don’t know how I knew, I just did.  When I said that to the councilman, it was because my body knew what to do with it, even if my brain can’t remember.”

He was nearly jumping in place by the time she finished speaking.  “Do you think you were some kind of warrior?  Are you going to try to remember more?”

Her look grew contemplative at his question.  “I don’t know what it means, but I get the feeling that I’m not a warrior.  As for trying to remember, I had thought about trying to practice, to see if I can remember anything at all.  I’ll only work on it in the afternoons though.”

He really was jumping up and down by that point.  “Can you show me too?  I’ve been shown how to use a knife in self-defense, but no one has ever taught me how to fight.”

Her face twisted in a grimace at his request.  “I don’t know Zack.  Honestly, I don’t know how much I know even.  I doubt I could teach anyone anything when it’s my muscles that remember and not my head.”

He didn’t seem to be deterred by her doubts though.  “That’s fine.  I can always watch you and follow along as you remember stuff, right?!”

Kris suddenly felt like she had lead filling her stomach.  He settled down finally when he realized how serious she was.  “We have to get permission from Sarah and Zeke before I will agree to it.”

His face fell at her words, but he only showed determination when he looked back.  “They know I want to go to Midgar someday.  I’m sure if we tell them it’s so I can learn to survive, they won’t have a problem with it.”

She shook her head.  “Not buying it.  We both know you have never told them you wanted to go so you could join Soldier.  If we are going to do this, then I want us to be on the up and up.  You tell them the whole truth and if they say yes, you can watch me.”

It was Zack’s turn to look ill, but he wasn’t ready to give up yet.  “Fine, if we tell them the whole truth, then we both get to ask them questions.  I know you have been afraid to ask them about your place here long term, so you’re going to ask them.”

Kris felt her face heat slightly as she glared back.  She didn’t answer right away but after she thought about it, she realized he was right.  He didn’t want to tell them any more than she wanted to ask about the future, but they both had to face it, if they were to move forward.  “Fine, you’ve got a deal.  Let’s head back and get this over with.”

He smiled and flung his arm around her shoulder.  He was finally tall enough that he could do it without pulling her down.  “Alright Sis, let’s do this.”

She laughed as they walked out of the woods together.  They hadn’t made it all the way back to the village when she spoke up again.  “You know, this won’t be as hard as you think.  Your parents aren’t stupid.  I’m sure they already know the reason you want to go is so you can join Soldier.  It’s a pretty common dream in young boys.  You’re just the only one that has already started to put your plans into action.”

His smile was soft when he looked over to her.  “Thanks for saying that.  I think I already knew that, but it’s nice to hear it from someone else.”  He paused and looked forward before he started talking again.  “You don’t have anything to worry about either.  As far as everyone is concerned, you’re already a Fair.”  She smiled as she gave his arm a squeeze.  They both felt more optimistic than they had back in the woods.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By now, I'm sure you have figured out that the relationship between Kris and Zack is familial. I am a big fan of Zerith so expect it to stay that way. That's ok, because family has a special kind of influence. The reason I bring this up now, is for several reasons. First, Kris is five years older than Zack, even if she isn't aware of exactly how old she is, and he just turned 13. She is around during some of his most formative years, so it isn't surprising that they become close. Another thing, with them being family, but not, their relationship is like a mix of best friends and family. Really the best of both worlds. I hope this makes sense, but if you need anything explained further, please let me know. Again, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!

## Chapter 3

By the time they got back to the village, it was nearly dark, but neither one cared.  As optimistic as they had been, they were both still nervous.  Silence had fallen between them when they headed back into the house.  Sarah looked up with a smile from where she was working on dinner.  “I’m glad I didn’t have to chase you both down.  Dinner will be ready shortly.  Why don’t you both go clean up.”

Neither of them said a word as they headed to wash for dinner.  They both knew Zeke would be back soon as well, so they waited to speak until both the adults were there so they could get it over with.  They passed Zeke on their way back to the front room and gave each other looks that were a cross between reassuring and nervous.  They both started laughing when they realized they both had the same look on their faces.  They were still smiling as Zack sat and Kris moved to help set the table and lay out dinner.

The meal was silent most of the way through.  Both Kris and Zack kept sending each other pointed looks and when Sarah had enough of seeing it, she finally spoke up.  “Why don’t you both just get it out.  You aren’t being subtle at all.”

Zack laughed nervously at her admonition and Kris looked down with a slight blush.  It was Kris that finally managed to speak up.  “Well, we both have something we wanted to ask you both about.  You see…”  She paused when she realized she didn’t even know where to begin.

Sarah gave them both a smile and tried to encourage them to keep going.  “What is it then?  It can’t be that bad.”

It was Kris’ turn to smile nervously, but she still spoke.  “I don’t think it’s bad, really, but I don’t know where to start.”

“At the beginning, duh.”  She pinched Zack’s leg under the table when he whispered to her.

She then proceeded to ignore his yelp as she tried to find the words.  “I know you heard about how I managed to fight off that gagighandi.  Well, when I picked up that stick, I sort of remembered that I knew how to use it, or a staff at least.  I was thinking about saving up and buying a real one so I can practice and see if my brain can catch up with my body.”

She paused at took a deep breath, but Zeke spoke up before she could continue.  “I think that would be a great idea.  It’s always better to not do stuff halfheartedly anyway.  You know you don’t need to ask us for permission to do that though, so what is your question?”

Kris wasn’t sure if she wanted to bolt or hide under the table, but she didn’t get a chance to do either when Zack finally spoke up.  His words ran together since he was talking so fast.  “IwanttowatchhersoIcanlearntofight.”

Sarah gave him a questioning look and Zeke just looked confused.  “Repeat that so we can understand.”

Zack chuckled nervously before he managed to repeat it slower.  “I was hoping I could watch her and learn a little bit about fighting too.  If I’m going to be traveling, then I think I need to.”

Both his parents stilled at his words.  Kris gave him a hard look and gestured that he wasn’t finished.  He didn’t give them a chance to respond before he spoke up again.  “Besides, I plan on trying to join Soldier, so any skills I can get before I go would be helpful.”

Sarah looked like she wanted to cry at his words and Zeke looked worried, but it was his mother that spoke up.  “We’ve known since you first said you wanted to go to Midgar to make your fortune, that it was so you could follow that dream.  I can’t say that I like it, but you have already worked so hard to make it happen when you’re older.  I can’t stand in the way of a dream you believe so strongly.  Just promise that you’ll be careful.”

Zack looked stunned for several seconds, but once he could move, he immediately walked around the table to wrap both his parents in a tight hug.  His father shook his hand when he let them go.  “I appreciate the fact that you came to us and told us the truth instead of going behind our backs.  I know you’ll be a fine Soldier one day.”

Zack looked like he was going to either faint or jump for joy, but he managed to contain it as he turned to Kris.  “That was my question.  Kris has one too though.”

Kris looked like she was caught between being sick and being happy for Zack.  She still managed to speak though.  “I do.  I know this may not be the time to ask about this, but I don’t know if there ever would be a good time.  You have all taken such good care of me, and I can never repay that, but I wanted to know where my place is in the future.  I know I won’t stay here forever, but I have no plans any time soon, so…”

She trailed off and looked down at her clasped hands.  She looked up with a start when Sarah put a hand on her shoulder.  “We know you have a family out there, and we could never try to take their places, but as long as you want to stay here, you can consider yourself part of this family.  You are already treated that way and we know you feel the same.  You will always have a place to come back to, no matter what.”

Kris couldn’t stop her tears and she stood and wrapped the woman in a hug.  Her voice was slightly choked when she spoke.  “Even if I regained my memories tomorrow, I will always be proud to say I am part of your family.  I couldn’t have asked for a better one.” 

Zeke stood watching them with a slight smile before he patted Zack’s shoulder and spoke up.  “Well, if that’s all the two of you have been worried about all night, I believe we can move on.  Wasn’t there desert left over from yesterday?”

Kris moved back from Sarah with a laugh.  “Unless Zack ate it all earlier, there should be.  Let me get it.  I’ll bring the plates too.”

* * *

 

The next day Zack insisted that they both go buy a staff.  Kris hadn’t wanted to do that so soon, as she barely had enough to cover it and she had been saving the last of her money in case the Fair’s needed something, as they refused to take it all from her when she got it.  She relented when he pointed out the fact that she would need it if she planned on trying to get her memories back, as she couldn’t force it to happen.  When they got there, Zack ended up buying his own, and although Kris gave him a glare when he insisted, she was a little glad he had.  She would not have had enough for both of them on her own.  It was nearly dark by the time they were through with that, so she promised him they would go out the next day.  He didn’t look happy about it, but he didn’t protest either.

As soon as their chores were done the next afternoon, Zack grabbed Kris and handed her the staff.  The look she gave him was incredulous.  “Why do you have these?”

He gave her a grin with his answer.  “Because you said we would go out today.  I want to make the most of the daylight, so I had them ready.  Let’s go!”

He didn’t wait for her before he took off toward the woods.  He was already in the middle of the clearing by the time she caught up.  She had to take a moment to catch her breath before she stood and gave him a glare.  “Look, if you expect me to get anything done, I can’t be running out of breath.”

He only grinned wider.  “Well then, you should work on being able to run and not get out of breath.”

Her glare deepened and her eyes narrowed.  “Look here tadpole, I can still walk away.”

His grin died down a little and his voice was a little more serious.  “But you won’t.  You promised.”  At that his grin widened again.  “Besides, we still need to work on jogging out those stubborn memories.”

She rolled her eyes at his never-ending enthusiasm.  “Fine, but stay back for now.”

She then turned and closed her eyes, before she held the staff slightly out to her side the way she had the limb when she first picked it up.  The weight of it felt familiar, but nothing else was happening.  She felt a little silly, knowing Zack was watching, after she had been standing like that for several minutes.  Finally, his voice called out.  “Quit thinking about me being here.  If it’ll help, I can go hide so you can’t see me.”

She rolled her eyes again before she turned to him.  “I wasn’t looking at you in the first place.”

He shrugged.  “I know, but I was trying to be helpful.”

She laughed and shook her head before she turned around again.  After another couple of minutes Zack spoke up.  “It’s probably because you aren’t fighting.  You are thinking too much about trying to remember and not letting your muscles do the work.”

She chuckled at his explanation, but realized he had a point.  She tried to focus on what it had been like to fight the gagighandi instead of her missing memories.  She smiled with her eyes closed when she heard Zack again.  “Alright, so I want you to pretend that I am sitting in front of you.  I got gored by a kimara bug or something like that.” 

She frowned at his start, but nearly burst into laughter when he followed it with loud groaning sounds.  “I can’t imagine anything when you sound like a dying whale.”

“I’m not sure what a whale is, but I’m supposed to sound like I’m dying.  That’s the point.  Now hush and concentrate.”  Her eyes were still closed when she then heard him stand and walk to the other side of the clearing.  “Okay, so I’m dying in front of you and the bug that attacked me is headed in for another strike.  You have to save me from it.  What do you do?”

She didn’t move at first.  When he fell silent, she tried to picture things exactly like he had described them.  Her mind shied away from the image of an injured Zack, but she forced it and then imagined a monster running at him from the other side of the clearing.  Suddenly she found that her body was moving with very little thought.  She took a few running steps before she jumped up and across, as if she were jumping over a downed Zack.  While she was still mid-air, she twisted and let the staff slide out of her hand a short way before grabbing it tightly closer to the end.  That made her reach extend as far as the staff could go.  With the distance and her momentum, she could hear the swish of it through the air as she completed the circuit.  When she landed, she bent her knees and brought the pole back before springing up and slashing the wood in an upward strike.  Had an enemy been there, it would have been a nasty uppercut.

At that she finally opened her eyes to see a stunned Zack just a few feet away.  When their eyes met, his grin exploded, and he nearly tackled her.  “That was awesome!  You really do know what you’re doing!”

She gave him an exasperated look.  “You mean to tell me we went through the whole ordeal of talking to your parents and getting these staves and you weren’t sure?”

He clunked his staff against hers with a grin.  “Nah, but I wasn’t expecting that right off the bat.  You must have started training when you were young or something.”

Her brow drew down at his words.  Something about what he said made a tickle in the back of her brain.  She tried to trace it down but wasn’t getting anything more than a sense of familiarity.  She was drawn out of her thoughts when he waved a hand in front of her face.  When she looked at him, he looked slightly concerned.  “You okay?  You spaced out a little.”

She smiled at his concern.  “Yeah.  I thought I remembered something, but it ended up being nothing.”  She looked around at that before she stepped away and motioned him to follow.  “Why don’t we set up some makeshift targets and then I can pretend they are monsters with less leaping.”

“Aww, really?” 

She laughed at his disappointed tone.  “It isn’t like you’ll be able to match that right away anyway.  If you plan on imitating me, then why don’t we start easier.  It’ll help me too.”

He gave her a disgusted look but moved to help her find some downed logs and other things suitable to use.  It ended up taking them the rest of the afternoon.  Zack glared at the sight of the setting sun, but Kris shoved his shoulder playfully.  “The hard part is over now.  Tomorrow when we come, we can jump right in, and every day after that.”

He nodded his head slowly with a slightly defeated look.  “You’re right.  This is better than trying to figure it out each day.”  By the time he was done speaking, he was already grinning again.  He turned and walked backwards in front of her for a few steps and a glint entered his eye.  She eyed it with distrust, and knew she was validated when he smirked at her.  “I’ll race you home!”

He didn’t wait for an answer before he turned and took off.  She immediately ran after him, but she knew it was a lost cause.  He was nearly out of earshot when she yelled at him.  “That’s no fair and you know it!”

He was leaning against the door jam waiting for her when she ran up.  She glared at him for not even being out of breath while she bent over and tried to catch hers.  He gave her a pat on the back before he spoke.  “You know, if you really do want to train, it might be a good idea for you to train your stamina too.  Remembering how to swing that staff won’t do you any good if you end up falling over because you're worn out.”

She really wanted to give him a glare, but when she stood, she gave him a nod.   “We’ll see about adding something to help.”

He raised a brow at her.  “We?”

She shoved his shoulder as she passed him and entered the house.  “Yes, we.  If we’re doing this together then it’s all or nothing.”

“Fine, fine.”

Sarah watched them both with a smile as they playfully shoved each other on the way to clean up for dinner.  Her smile faltered a little when she remembered why they were together that evening, but it didn’t last long.  Zack had come by his optimistic outlook on life naturally.  Sarah always tried to look on the bright side and reminded herself that they would still be family, no matter where they ended up going.

* * *

 

It was sometime in the middle of that night that Zack was woken by a strange sound.  He sat up in bed and tried to see if he could hear it again.  It took a few moments, but he finally realized it sounded like crying, and it was coming from Kris’ side of the divider.  He jumped up and didn’t think twice before he was around the obstruction.  He caught sight of her jerking around in her sleep and the moonlight glinted on her tears.

He moved to try and see what was going on and grabbed her shoulders.  She cried out and started struggling against him when he did.  He could barely hold onto her, but he still tried to wake her up.  His voice was strained since he was trying to keep it low and fight her at the same time.  “Kris, wake up.  It’s me Zack.  It’s okay, whatever it is, it’s just a nightmare.”

He shook her one more time and her eyes finally snapped open.  It took her a moment to recognize who had a hold on her, but as soon as she did, she grabbed him in a crushing hug and started crying in earnest.

Zack didn’t have a clue what to do now that she was awake, so he patted her back awkwardly and tried to get her to stop crying.  “It was just a nightmare sis.  Everything is okay.  You’re fine.”

She finally leaned back and gave him a watery smile.  “You know, you suck at comforting.  But I’m glad you’re here anyway.”

She took the sting out of her words by giving his arm a squeeze before she tried to untangle herself from the covers.  When she yanked on one hard enough to move Zack where he was sitting on it, he finally stood.  He was still giving her concerned looks, but she gave him another smile.  “I’m alright now.  It was just… well, let’s just say I hope I don’t ever see it again.”

That was all she said before she moved past him to head out.  He stopped her with a hand on her arm.  “It’s late.  You should try to go back to sleep.”

She put a hand over his before she pulled away.  “I know, and I will, but I need a few minutes first.  Let me get it out of my mind.”

He didn’t look entirely convinced but he let her go.  He didn’t lay down right away either.  He was glad when he saw her stop and climb up onto the fence outside of the back of the house.  She was looking up at the moon.  He was overcome with worry again when he saw her shoulders start to shake but he didn’t go out to her.

When she finally got herself under control and felt like she could safely fall asleep again, she headed back into the house.  She smiled ruefully at the sight of Zack.  It looked like he had fallen asleep watching her.  She felt bad for worrying him, but her chagrin was from the fact that he was on her bed.  She shook her head as she tried to move him into a lying position without waking him.  She hadn’t needed to bother trying to be careful though.  He had fallen into a deep sleep and she doubted much would wake him.

Once she had him situated, she debated on taking his bed, but remembered that he wasn’t as fond of washing his sheets.  Her nose curled when she remembered the last time she had taken them out for him.  She didn’t think twice about crawling over him and then under the covers next to him.  When she finally relaxed, she realized that she wasn’t too upset by his presence near her.  It made the fear that was still tearing her up a little more bearable and she found herself finally getting sleepy.

She tried not to think about the nightmare as she started to drift off.  It had been one of the most terrifying she had ever dealt with.  It had started with her bound and gagged in a dark place.  There had been a great deal of pain, and a feeling of complete powerlessness, but it had shifted at some point.  It was no longer her that was bound and gagged, but Zack, and somehow, she was still watching it happen and powerless to stop it.  She watched as a faceless man beat her brother and couldn’t help him.

When she realized she was thinking about it again, she turned and faced Zack’s back.  She knew he might not like it in the morning, but just being close to him and hearing his even breathing calmed her enough that she was eventually able to fall back to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

##  **Chapter 4**

The next morning, Kris was woken by a yell.  She didn’t even bother trying to figure out what it was, instead she turned over and tried to go back to sleep.  She was prevented from doing so when Zack shook her roughly.  She rolled back over and only opened one eye.  That was enough for her to be able to give him a death glare.  “What do you want?  It can’t be time to get up yet.”

His eyes widened at the sight of her glare, but he still managed to give her an exasperated look.  “Yes, it is time to get up.  Plus, why was I in your bed?”

At his question, Kris finally remembered what had happened and sat up with a groan.  She yawned and stretched before she gave him a grin.  “Don’t look at me.  You’re the one that fell asleep over here, and I wasn’t about to sleep in your bed.  Your sheets smell.”

“Hey!  They do not!”

She gave him a deadpan look before she stood and threw her pillow at his head.  “Maybe you’re just used to it.  Now move and let me get dressed.”  She heard him grumbling still as he went back to his side of the divider.

By the time they were both ready they found they had just enough time to grab some of the food that Sarah had made and run.  They were both running late.  Him for school and her for the daycare, but they both still paused long enough to give Sarah a kiss on the cheek before they took off.  She watched their retreating forms with a smile for a few moments before she turned and started her day as well.

* * *

 

It seemed like their late start carried through their whole day and it ended up being later than they hoped by the time they were ready to head to their designated clearing.  Zack was still grumbling when Kris stopped him and gave him a curious look, before she chuckled.  “I was going to ask you what it is you do to be in better shape, but then I remembered that you are never still.  I guess I’ll have to figure it out on my own.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.”

She laughed at the look he was giving her before she responded.  “I admire your energy, so take it while you can.”  He grinned at that, but she gave him a serious look.  “Really though, I think that just running won’t be enough.  I can start with a few laps before we get into the other stuff, but maybe we should think about spending a couple of days on strength too.  What do you think?”

His eyes had lit up when he realized she was taking his suggestion seriously.  “Yeah!  I’m sure we can find something out here that will help.  How many laps do you think?”  She laughed when another thought struck him, and he started nearly jumping in place.  “Oh! Also, you know that if we’re running out here the ground isn’t even.  You’ll have to watch out for roots and stuff, but if you don’t break stride that can help your agility too!”

She smiled at him.  She knew he had been excited about learning the staff but seeing him really get into the whole thing got her excited too.  His energy was always contagious when he really got going.  She gave him a nod before she leaned her staff against one of the targets they had set up the day before.  “You’re right. But if we plan on getting anything done today, we need to get started.  It’s already late.”

He leaned his next to hers and then started jogging backwards with a grin.  “Think you can keep up?”

She glared at him but didn’t say anything.  Instead she tried to put on a little speed when he turned around.  She lost count of how many laps they had done at around twenty, but every time she started to lag, Zack would slow down just enough to taunt her.  It worked most of the time too.  The sky had started turning a deep red by the time she finally stopped and sat on the ground.  He jogged to her with a grin.  “Giving up already?”

She huffed a tired laugh and nodded.  “Yeah.  I’m not sure my legs will even carry me back to the house, you slave driver.”

He sat down beside her at that and gave her a contemplative look.  “You know, I am super excited to get started, but maybe it’s a good idea if we whip you into shape first.  I get the feeling that you probably where before, but you were down so long that you, I don’t know, lost it, I guess?  I don’t see how you could have trained before without being in better shape.”

She stared at him in silent shock for a few moments before she laughed and ruffled his hair.  “Sometimes it’s easy to forget that you’re only thirteen, oh wise man.”

She could tell he knew she was teasing when he grinned and stood with his hand out to help her up too.  She took it with a groan.  “Oh god, I’m going to feel that tomorrow.”

He laughed at her before he turned and grabbed both of their staves.  “Sometimes I wonder where you’re really from.  Some of the things you say make no sense.”

She shrugged and tried to take her staff from him as they started walking.  He held it out of her reach, and she shrugged again.  “Fine.  I’m not going to complain if you want to carry them.”  They walked a little further before she finally looked at him with a contemplative look.  “You know, you might be right about my way of talking.  I may not remember, but when you compare it to everyone here, it is odd.  I don’t think I have met any of the merchants that talk that way either.”  She looked up at the sky and admired the first stars that had come out.  Zack thought she was done, but after a few minutes she looked back at him with a smile.  “It doesn’t really matter though.  I’m here now and I can only take it a day at a time.”  He grinned at her when she bumped his shoulder.

* * *

 

Over the next few weeks there were several times that Kris was forced to wonder how such a sweet young boy could turn into such a monster.  Every time she felt like quitting, he would figure out a way to make her keep going.  As often as not, it was usually with some sort of barbed remark.  She reminded herself several times that she needed to start watching her sarcasm around him as he was picking up on it fast, and he was good at it too.

They took to running through the woods on alternating paths and he had her start carrying random things while she ran after the first few days.  They would also take a couple of days each week and work on climbing.  They would either use one of the small cliffs near the village, or simply use the trees.  He had her focus on using her arms as much as possible when they did.

For the first two weeks she was dead on her feet outside of their training and several people commented on it.  When she told them why, they all found it hilarious.  She found that every time she winced when she reached for something or limped for the first few steps after she had been sitting for a while, there was always someone there with a smart remark.  She finally stopped letting them get to her when she realized it was all part of being a citizen of their little community.  She was now as much a part of the village as any of them, and she found that thought satisfying.

They kept that schedule up for six weeks.  Kris was amazed that Zack had gone that long without asking about training even once, but she knew it was because he had set his mind on helping her first.  Once he made up his mind on anything, he was full steam ahead.  At six weeks though, they decided that she was in good enough shape that they could start the actual training at least one day a week.

It was the beginning of autumn by that point, but luckily Gongaga was far enough south that the weather was still nice most days.  The worst was when it rained.  Sarah wasn’t too fond of it either, because they still trained.  It was the muddy laundry that was the problem, but Kris did her best to make sure that she and Zack cleaned up after themselves.  They were really getting into their schedule, but that didn’t mean they had to make extra work for anyone else.

By the time winter set in, the two of them already had a plan.  Most days they still did some training, but the days were shorter, and they didn’t have as much time to spend.  Winter time also meant extra chores and Zack convinced her to help him chop firewood for as many people as would let them.  They didn’t charge for the work, but they often were given things in return anyway.  That was how Zack got a new set of gloves and Kris got a new scarf.  The cold inevitably ended up putting a damper on their schedule, but on the days they couldn’t do anything, Sarah and Zeke often watched with bemused expressions as the two young people would get lost in their plans for the next nice day.

By the time spring finally rolled around again, Zack was taller than Kris and it only added fuel to his taunting whenever she felt like stopping early.  Because he was always there to push her along and was so enthusiastic in watching and emulating her with the staff, by the middle of spring they were sparring together.  Some of the villagers had even started coming to watch them on days they knew they would be sparring.  It became something of a small gathering for the older children.  It worried Kris at first, but every parent she spoke to brushed it off with a smile.  They all agreed that it was something that kept the children occupied and out of trouble, so they didn’t see any harm in it.  She still flatly refused to teach anyone other than Zack though.  That didn’t mean that she didn’t occasionally find one or more of them playing around with long sticks.  When she did, she would remind them that it was dangerous, but she wasn’t too hard on them.

* * *

 

By the time Zack’s fourteenth birthday came around, he was already five inches taller than Kris.  The fact that he still had more to go annoyed her, but only because he took full advantage of the switch in who was taller.  It made their sparring matches more interesting as well, since he had a longer reach.  She found that she was constantly having to build on what she could remember to account for the difference too.  It meant that she was learning new things as well, which kept things interesting for them both. 

She still hadn’t remembered anything though.  The only difference was that the nightmare kept plaguing her.  It wasn’t every night, but if they had a hard day or Zack got hurt, it almost inevitably led to her having a restless night.  After the first few times, Zack just gave in and crawled into bed with her.  It never failed that his presence worked to keep them at bay.  Neither of them mentioned it to anyone else though.  It wasn’t that either of them was bothered by it, but Kris still refused to tell Zack what they were about, and he knew if she couldn’t tell him, then there was no way she could talk about it with anyone else.  It became their unspoken agreement.

When his birthday came up, Kris took the day off to help Sarah decorate for the small party they had planned and with baking the cake.  She was nowhere near the cook that Sarah was, but she had been helping long enough that she wasn’t bad.  Between the two of them they had everything ready by the time the small group of boys came barrelling into the house.  A couple of them gave Kris shy smiles as they jostled each other to find space to sit.  She was oblivious to them though, which gave Zack tons of ammunition to tease them with later.  He already had plans to use it with Kris as well, but he had to wait for the right time.  Today wasn’t that day.

Once they were all settled Sarah and Kris served them all.  It was amazing to see how fast it disappeared.  The youngest of them was almost thirteen so they all ate like the growing boys they were.  They couldn’t keep still even while they ate, so as soon as they were finished, Sarah shooed them out of the house.  Kris smiled when Zack paused long enough to give his mother a kiss on the cheek before he followed them.  She stayed behind and helped with the clean-up as well.  No matter how well behaved they were indoors, it never failed that the mess seemed to multiply exponentially when it was Zack’s friends over.

By the time everything was clean, the sun had already started to go down and Zack was already headed back in.  Kris was surprised that he wasn’t grinning.  He looked happy enough, but he didn’t show the boundless enthusiasm she had come to expect from her brother, especially since it was his birthday.  She caught him giving them all contemplative looks and vowed that she would ask him as soon as they were alone.  She knew if he wanted to talk to his parents about it, he wouldn’t have hesitated.

Luckily, she didn’t have long to wait.  As soon as they headed to bed, she grabbed him and gave him her best ‘I know something’s up’ look.  “So spill it.  What has you so twisted that you couldn’t even enjoy your birthday?”

He chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head before he finally answered.  “You noticed huh?”

“Of course.  I wouldn’t be surprised if mom and dad did too.  You really suck at hiding things.”

He gave her a glare, but finally relented with a sigh.  He plopped down on her bed before he answered.  “I started thinking about it a few weeks ago, but now that I’m fourteen, I think that it’s time I head to Midgar.  I just don’t know how to tell mom and dad.”

Kris felt like she had been punched.  She knew it had been coming since she first arrived, but it had always felt like it would be someday in the future.  She hadn’t realized the future was already there.  She finally found her breath again and sat beside him.  She knew the look she was giving him, must have been pained because he looked slightly worried.  She tried to school her face into something less worrisome before she answered.  “I suppose we’ve all known it was coming.  I just didn’t expect it yet, sorry.”

Zack gave her a nod and they sat there in silence for several minutes.  Zack was still worrying over how to break it to his parents, and Kris was just trying to wrap her head around the whole thing.  Finally, she turned to him with a curious look.  “I thought you couldn’t join until you were fifteen?  Even if you take your time in getting there, you’ll have to wait around before you can try out.  I know you can take care of yourself mostly, but wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

He gave her another nervous look. “Yeah, but I figured if I go early, they might let me go ahead and join, right?”

She gave him a hard look before she finally spoke up.  “You know they have the minimum age for a reason, right?  If you lie about your age, it won’t be doing you any favors.  I know you really want to join, but can’t you at least wait six months?  That will still give you plenty of time to get there and make money on the way as well as get you there when you need to be.  Would that be so bad?”

He was frowning at her by that point.  “You just don’t want me to leave.”

She raised a brow at his accusation but didn’t say anything right away.  When he looked away finally, she spoke.  “No, I don’t want you to leave, but I have no intentions of standing in the way of your dream.  I really want what’s best for you though and ending up lost in the Midgar slums is definitely not that.”

He glared at her again and his voice was still slightly petulant.  “You don’t know that I would end up in the slums.  I could make it work.”

She shook her head and smiled.  “Knowing you, you would probably find a way, but I still think it would be best to wait.”

He suddenly gave her an excited look and nearly started bouncing.  “You know, if you’re that worried you could always come too.”

She was so shocked at his suggestion that it took her a few moments to recover.  He took that time to build on his thoughts.  “I think it might be good for you anyway.  Midgar is the biggest city in the world.  I don’t know if you came from there, but I get the feeling you came from some city.  You might even be able to find someone that knows you there.  What do you say?”

While he spoke, her shocked look turned to one of contemplation.  She slowly nodded her head while she answered.  “That might not be a bad idea.”  She paused and looked back toward the other bedroom and frowned.  “I don’t like the idea of leaving mom and dad alone though.”

Zack gave her an exasperated look.  “You know you won’t want to stay here forever.  Even if you don’t go with me, you will eventually find a husband and want a home for yourself.”

She gave him a glare at that, but it was not nearly as intimidating as she hoped it would be since she couldn’t hide the red that had sprung up in her cheeks.  “That is the furthest thing from my mind, but I get what you’re saying.”  She sighed and nodded finally.  “I’ll agree to go with you, but I still think we should wait for six months.”

His shoulders sagged and he gave her a pleading look.  “Really?”

She gave him a firm nod.  “Really.  We can tell them in the morning, but I want us to wait at least until we are absolutely sure we have everything we need, including a plan for how to cross the ocean and the route we need to take.  If you are serious about this, I’ll help but we aren’t going off half-cocked.”

He gave her a strange look at her wording but didn’t mention it.  By that point he was used to it.  He did get up with a sigh though.  “Fine, we can start inventorying everything we need and what we already have tomorrow, and I’ll tell mom and dad.  Just be prepared for the fact that we might be ready before six months.”

She shook her head at him as he walked back around the divider and raised her voice slightly so he could still hear her.  “I fully expect it from you.  At least I’ll know it won’t be a spur of the moment thing.”  She heard him laugh and shook her head again before she got ready for bed.


	5. Chapter 5

## Chapter 5

The next day was a stressful one for both Zack and Kris.  Neither of them said anything that morning before they headed to their respective tasks, but they both noticed that Sarah wore an expression that was a little pinched.  After Zack made it almost to the small school, he stopped and closed his eyes with a sigh.  He knew Kris had been right about his parents knowing already and it made the prospect of talking to them both later daunting.  Finally, he shook his head and walked into the small building.  His decision was already made, so he was going to have to figure it out.

That afternoon was just as bad as the morning had been, but Sarah didn’t ask.  Neither Kris nor Zack even thought about practice and that alone was enough to set Sarah on edge, but if it was what she felt it was, she knew they were probably waiting for Zeke to get home so they could talk to them both at the same time.  Besides, she was in no hurry to rush them.

When they all sat for dinner finally, Zack gave Kris a frustrated look.  She tried to give him a reassuring smile.  He shook his head and took a deep breath before he spoke up.  “Mom, dad, there is something we need to talk about.”

Both his parents looked up with frowns.  Zack paused at the look but took another deep breath before he continued.  “I have decided that I will be headed to Midgar soon, and I wanted to let you know.”

At his words Sarah had to fight back tears.  She had expected it, but it was still hard to hear.  Zeke was the one to speak.  “Thank you for letting us know, but when you say soon, when do you think?”

At that point Zack looked to Kris, so she decided to step in and help.  She needed to tell them that she was planning on going with him anyway.  “I’ll be going with him.  We plan on taking as long as we need to figure out a solid plan on how to get there and make sure we have all we need first.  It will most likely be between three to six months.”

They both stared at her in shock at her words.  They obviously had not expected her to be leaving as well.  The looks they gave her were killing her, so she had to continue before the moment broke.  “I really don’t want to leave you both alone, but Zack made the point that being in the city might help me.  Besides, I have no doubt that he could take care of himself, but I would feel better if he weren’t alone.”

At those words, Sarah finally did break down and start crying.  Neither Kris nor Zack had the chance to get up.  Sarah stood and gave Kris a tight hug.  It only lasted a moment before she turned and pulled Zack in as well.  It went on for several minutes before she pulled away and wiped at her face.  She patted Kris’ cheek before she spoke.  “Neither of you need to worry about us.  We can take care of ourselves.  Honestly, as much as I don’t want to think of either of you leaving, I’m glad you’ll be together.  Just promise you’ll write often.”

Zack was still trying not to let his worry show, so Kris spoke up.  “We won’t be leaving right away, but when we do, I’ll make sure we both write home every chance we get.”

Sarah gave her a teary smile before she went back to her seat.  Once that was done, they managed to turn the subject to lighter things as they all finished their meal.  Kris could tell Zack was still torn, as he hardly spoke, but she knew he would be alright.  The worst part was over.

* * *

 

Over the next several weeks, Zack and Kris only practiced every other day.  They took the rest of the time to go over the maps they had just purchased.  When Mr Thomas found out why they needed global maps, he instantly told them to think about heading out with one of the traders’ caravans.  He reminded them that they came through every four weeks and the last one for the season wouldn’t be until late fall, so they had plenty of time.  It was something neither of them had considered, but it was a great idea.

They still hadn’t decided when to leave, but they started planning around the idea that they would leave sometime in the fall.  That gave them a few months at least since it was still midsummer.  Kris relented on the waiting six months when she realized that would put them starting out in midwinter.  That would make the whole trip much harder.

When the east-west caravan next came through, they made a point of finding the head merchant and asking him if they could travel with him during their last trip.  He was wary at first, since it was a young boy and a girl.  However, all it took was a conversation with Mr. Thomas to convince the man that the two of them could look after themselves.  They also agreed that they could hunt to help out during their travels.  The merchant finally agreed with the stipulation that they were on their own for supplies, and if anything happened, they would have to look out for themselves.

It was after that conversation that they both realized they would need chocobos.  If nothing else, they would need to rent a pair until they got to Costa del Sol.  That was an expense neither of them had thought of, but again Mr. Thomas reminded them, they could probably rent from the merchant.  They often had spares that would be sold as they traveled.  It was convenient, but they would still have to pay for them. 

After their conversations, they did a complete inventory of what they had already and what they would still need.  They had plenty of things like phoenix downs, as those could be found.  They had also learned how to make their own potions, so as long as they had the ingredients they needed, they would be set.  They didn’t have a lot of money though.  The odd jobs they found in town barely paid enough to help around the house, so saving was difficult. 

Kris reminded Zack that if they were going to be hunting during their travels, they would probably be alright.  Whatever game they captured, they could sell what they didn’t need to the merchant they were traveling with.  If they could capture any monsters on the way, those would be even better.  She gave him a warning though to remember the man was not likely to be as generous as Mr. Thomas.

Over the last month of summer, they had a working list of the things they would need before they left, the things they already had, and the things they could get while they travelled.  The hardest part was going to be making sure they had the money to rent the chocobos for the trip to Costa del Sol.  To accommodate that need, they took the days they had been using for planning and turned them to hunting in the forests around the village.  There usually weren’t monsters, but they were still able to gather small animals.  Some of them they helped Sarah prep for storage to use after they left, but the rest were all sold.  By the time the last caravan came through they had just enough for the two chocobos they needed, although Kris had a sneaky suspicion that Mr. Thomas had done a little dealing on the side to help lower the price for them.

When they got ready to set out, they found that there were several east-west caravans that came through, that was how they were able to stop every few weeks, but they all worked for the same company.  That meant that the man in charge already knew about the arrangement.  The day before they were to leave, Zack and Kris met with him and reaffirmed everything.  They also brought up them hunting to sell and the man was impressed that they had brought it up.  He agreed that if they hunted excess, he would be happy to buy it from them.  It would make it cheaper on him in the long run to provide for the rest of his team. 

He also reminded them that they stopped in every village on the way, so if they wanted to stay at the inns during the stops, they would have to provide for that as well.  They had assumed that would be the case, once they figured out the route and told him they had it under control.  They had already decided that the majority of the time they would camp to save their money.  It would also give them a couple of extra days to hunt and gather up anything they needed restocked.  They felt ready, although Kris had to remind Zack several times that no matter how well planned it was, they needed to expect the unexpected.  It was one of the reasons she insisted they were better prepared then they thought they would need to be.

That night Zeke made it home early and Sarah made a point of cooking them a special meal.  She refused to allow Kris to help either.  They had decided they were going to throw a going away party, at least for the family.  Throughout the afternoon, several of the villagers came by and wished them well, and there were several reminders to stay out of trouble.  Most of the boys that Zack spent time with came by as well.  Every time one of them left and gave her a pouting look instead of looking forlorn at Zack, he had to tease her.  She didn’t notice most of them, but Sarah assured her it was true.  It confounded Kris, but she let it go.

One of the last to arrive was the head councilman.  He wished Zack luck, but he was grinning when he turned to Kris.  “I know you had a rough start here, but we’ll be rooting for you.  I know it won’t be easy to find something in Midgar while Zack’s busy trying to make his way, but you got the guts to make it work.  Take care of your brother while you’re at it.”

She gave him a smile.  “Yes sir!

At that point he shuffled a little nervously and looked at Zeke and Sarah.  They both gave him a slight nod and smiles.  Kris and Zack looked between them with curiosity but waited to see what was going on.  The man finally managed to find the words he was looking for and held something out to her.  “Once you get to Midgar, you will both have to go through the process of getting IDs and such.  Since you weren’t born here, I know it might be hard for you, but both Zeke and Sarah have agreed that as far as they are concerned, you’re their daughter.  That being said, you can use this.”

She took the envelope from him and slowly opened it after she gave the others a curious look.  She held it up a little higher as she read because Zack was trying to read over her shoulder.  Kris had to read it twice before it sank in.  When it did, her head shot up in shock.  Zack was the first to say something though.  He grabbed her in a hug so tight that it lifted her off the ground as he gave a whoop.  “Yes!  Now no one can ever say you aren’t my sister again!”

Kris was still in shock when he let her down.  She held a document that stated she was Kristobel Fair, daughter to Zeke and Sarah Fair.  It even had the official village seal, just like the one Zack had.  The shock had her standing still for several moments before she launched herself at her parents.  She couldn’t manage to speak past her tears, but she didn’t have to.  They knew how she felt.         

The Councilman was still smiling when he spoke.  “I hate to interrupt, but I have to get going.  I wish the both of you luck, not that I think you’ll need it.”  He gave them a wink and waved at Zeke and Sarah before he left.

Once he was gone, the family sat at their small table until later than they normally would have.  Finally, Sarah shooed the two younger people to bed.  They had an early morning that they couldn’t afford to be late for.  They both gave their parents hugs again before they finally went to bed.

* * *

 

The next morning, Sarah made sure to get them both up before the sun was in the sky.  Even though Zack grumbled a little he didn’t dawdle.  They had both already packed everything they would need.  All they had to do was change and grab their packs.  Neither of the packs were small, or light, but they wanted to be prepared.  When they walked into the common room, they were surprised that Sarah had a full breakfast prepared already.  When she pointed to their seats, they both sat without complaint.  Even though they both knew they couldn’t afford to be late, they had enough time for this.  Zeke was out before they were able to start eating as well. 

They all finished in silence as they finished their last meal as a family.  Once they were done, Sarah stopped Kris from picking up and gave them both a tight hug.  When she finally let go, she grabbed their hands and gave them a bright smile.  The sight of it nearly had Kris in tears.  She knew the woman had to be as torn as they both were, but she was dead set on giving them a bright send off.  Her words reflected that determination.  “I have faith that both of you will find everything you need.  You have each other, so don’t be afraid to lean on one another, and never forget that you have a family here when you need us.  I love you both so much.”  Her voice finally broke on that, but she cleared her throat and continued.  “I am already proud of you both, so never feel like you have to prove anything.  Follow your dreams and have faith.”

She gave them another hug after that, but it was shorter.  She quickly moved so Zeke could hug them both as well.  He was never good at expressing himself, but he gave them both a long look before he spoke.  “Your mother’s right.  You are already amazing.  Go knock em dead.”

Kris almost laughed at his encouragement, but when Zeke shook both their hands, she found she could barely keep from crying.  She hoisted her pack higher before she gave them both a smile.  “I promise I will write as often as I can.  I’ll make sure Zack does too.”

Zack gave her a dirty look at that, but it didn’t have any of the normal heat behind it.  He gave both his parents one last look before he grinned.  “I’ll make you proud, and don’t worry about Kris.  I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.”

Kris raised a brow at his declaration, but she let him have it.  They both gave their parents one more hug before they left.  The sun was just coming up over the horizon when they made it to the edge of the village where the caravan was waiting.  The lead merchant gave them both an appraising look.  “I wasn’t sure if you were actually gonna make it.”  He then turned and whistled loudly.  A younger boy ran up with two chocobos in hand.  He took the reins and shooed the boy away before he turned back to them.  “These are yours until Costa del Sol.  The light one is Kweh and the other is Tor.  You’ve paid for their use already, but you’ll be responsible for their care until then.  I have a little extra feed if you need it, but you’ll have to buy it like everyone else.  Any problems with that?”

Zack was grinning as he took the reins.  “Nope.  You can count on us to give them back as good as we got them.”

The man shook his head at Zack’s enthusiasm, but he gave them both a nod before he turned and started yelling out orders.  As soon as the man turned away, they both picked a bird and started tying their things down to the saddles.  Once they were done, they noticed there were several covered wagons that each had two attendants.  Each wagon had one man holding the reins and another holding some sort of firearm.  Kris frowned slightly at the sight.  She realized their presence meant the caravan was prepared for an attack and wondered how often it happened.

Her introspection was interrupted when the boy that had brought their chocobos over walked up with a shy smile.  When Kris returned it, the boy stood a little straighter and held his hand out.  “My name is Hans.  My father is the one that runs the caravan.  He asked that I show you to your spot in the line-up.  He wants you to stay close to the middle.”

Zack shook the boy’s hand as well before he spoke up.  “Just show us the way!”

Hans turned and waved them to follow.  As they were passing the wagons to head to their designated spot, Kris asked what was on her mind.  “I noticed that each wagon has a guard.  Do you get attacked often?”

The boy paused and gave her a nervous look before he turned and kept going.  His voice was low when he answered.  “Not really, but there are bandits out there.  That’s why they asked for you to stay in the middle.  My father and I will be riding there too.”

Zack frowned at the statement, but Kris was nodding slowly. She understood they were an unknown factor, and until or unless they proved themselves, the men they were traveling with weren’t going to want them in the way.  When she caught sight of Zack’s face she spoke up before he could say anything.  “I understand.  We can actually take care of ourselves, but we’ll stay out of the way if something happens.”

The boy had obviously not expected them to agree so easily, so he gave her a shocked look.  It was quickly replaced by a grin.  “It’ll be nearly two months before we make it to Costa del Sol.  I’m sure you’ll have the opportunity to prove it.”

She gave him a quick smile, but nothing else was said about it.  Once they got to the section of the line-up they would be traveling in, the boy left them.  Zack was watching everything with interest.  Kris was too, but she was a little more wary.  She finally noticed that there were only two other women that would be traveling with them.  She doubted anything would happen, but it still made her a little nervous.  Especially as any of the men that caught sight of the two of them either gave them condescending smirks or looks that clearly looked like they were indulging children.  The thought of it made her bristle, but Zack didn’t seem to notice so she kept her mouth shut.

As much activity as there seemed to be needed to get them all going, they were settled in a relatively short amount of time.  By the time the sun was fully over the horizon, the head merchant had joined them, and they started out.  They had barely moved far enough from the village that it could no longer be seen before Zack turned to her.  He had a smile, but she could see the pain in his eyes when he spoke.  “We’ll come back when we’re both super successful.”

She knew the same look had to be in her eyes when she gave him a return smile.  “You’re right.  Even if it’s just for a visit occasionally, we’ll be back.”  Neither of them really knew what the future would hold, but it was good as a promise between them.  They might not want to spend the rest of their lives in the village, but it would always be home.


	6. Chapter 6

##  **Chapter 6**

The day went by much slower than they thought it would.  The caravan as a whole had to stay slow enough that the slowest wagons would stay with everyone.  It was both good and bad as far as Kris was concerned.  She had never been on a chocobo before.  She had been told how to ride them, and once she was in the saddle, she found it wasn’t that hard, but she was thankful the pace was slow while she got used to it.  On the other hand, she had thought they had exaggerated somewhat when they said it would take them two months to get to Costa del Sol, but at this pace, she couldn’t help but wonder if it might be longer.  At least they were headed toward better weather. 

By the end of the day, she also found out the meaning of being saddle sore.  It wasn’t that she and Zack weren’t in good shape, since their practice made sure they were, but these were a whole new set of muscles and she wondered if she would ever walk the same when they were done with this trip.  Zack obviously didn’t feel any better either, as he didn’t bother even trying to suppress his groan when he finally slid to the ground.  She couldn’t even find it in herself to tease him about it, as she barely managed to suppress the same sound.

They took a few minutes to walk around before they worked to unsaddle their chocobos and get them cleaned and fed.  Hans had been kind enough to work on his next to them so they could get the hang of how to do it properly.  By the time that was finished, Kris was ready to drop where she stood, but she forced her feet to move and help Zack put up their tent.  They had one big enough that the two of them could share.  It wasn’t ideal, but it was the cheapest option.  It would also ensure that they could watch out for each other when they were parted from the caravan.

Once the tent was up Kris realized she wanted sleep more than she wanted food.  The head merchant, Rolf Anders, had invited the two of them to share his meal though and she couldn’t turn down his hospitality.  Especially since they had been told they would be fending for themselves.  He told them he had been impressed at the fact that neither of them slowed the caravan down.  Despite what he had been told by Mr. Thomas, he had expected them both to give up already.  Zack managed a grin at that, but even his boundless energy was running low by that point.  By the time they were finished eating and finally made it to their bedrolls, they were asleep almost before their heads hit the pallets.

They spent three more days like that before the caravan made its first stop.  By that time Mr. Anders was a little reluctant to let the two of them stay outside of the town, but they insisted.  It had as much to do with them wanting the opportunity to hunt and build up their resources as it did with them wanting to save money.  He finally relented, but he gave them advice on a good place to stay that was on a small rise a short distance past the village.  It would ensure that they wouldn’t miss the caravan when it was time to leave.  They thanked him and headed out.

They both found that they were delighted to have a couple of days out of the saddle.  It was even better when they managed to find a knot of Touch-Mes.  They were not difficult to defeat, but they were irritating.  Especially since one of them managed to get Zack after the boy practically jumped in front of Kris.  She gave him a glare after she transformed him back.  She would wait until later, but she planned on letting him know how stupid the move had been since she was already out of harm’s way.  The effect wouldn’t have lasted through the night, but it could have made their day far more difficult.  At least they had a few of the remedies they would need to counter it.

The good part was that once they were killed their secretions were worth a lot of gil.  It was one of the main ingredients in the Maiden’s Kiss.  It took them nearly an hour to round them all up and then the rest of the day to harvest what they could.  By the time it grew dark, they were both ready to clean up and sleep, but neither of them could deny the fact that they were reenergized.  It may not seem like much to others, but their lucky haul gave them hope that the rest of their trip would be successful.

After that first stop, Mr. Anders no longer bothered them about staying outside of the villages.  He had practically glowed when they came to him with their haul.  He almost felt bad since he couldn’t give them full price for the valuable goo, but they were glad enough to trade it for more of the things they would need, like the chocobo feed.  Once their transaction was done, he shook his head at the sight of the diminutive female smacking the boy on the back of the head as they walked off.  He had asked to have some extra chocolate thrown into their deal when he found out the merchant had recently acquired some.  She had not let him finish asking before she cut him off.  It was easy to see that although the boy was more mature than he originally seemed, the girl was definitely in charge.  Even so, the man didn’t feel too bad when he slipped the boy a small parcel the next day when his sister was occupied by Hans.

* * *

 

The next several weeks went by in much the same way.  The siblings had no time to hunt while they were trekking with the long line of carts, but they took full advantage of the days when they were stuck waiting for the merchants to finish their business in the villages they passed through.  Mr. Anders was thoroughly pleased by their catches and how much it improved his trades in each village and the siblings were more than happy to have a couple of days here and there to stretch their limbs and use their skills to keep them from getting rusty.

So far, they had hardly been bothered as they snaked their way across the edge of the desert and closer to Costa del Sol.  It was their second day edging the giant sands that their luck finally broke.  The chocobos had been antsy for the last hour and none of them wanted to get closer to the point that the grasses stopped, and the sands started.  It got to the point that Mr. Anders had to head to the front and lead the caravan further away.  As quickly as they wanted to get past whatever it was spooking the birds, they found that it was easier to let all the chocobos not harness to a wagon to congregate together while their riders were forced to walk.  Neither Zack nor Kris complained, but it did slow their progress significantly.

The siblings had made sure to take their staves from their saddles when they joined the rest of the group.  It was another half hour before the threat finally showed itself.  The chocobos started making a shrill noise that Kris had never heard before right before a pair of large monsters descended on a wagon that was at the rear.  The man that had been guarding had already started shooting, but his efforts were not working to keep the beasts at bay.

The rest of the guards didn’t hesitate to run back to help.  Even though there were near to a dozen of them, they still had difficulties dodging the lasers the beasts were emitting.  Even though their host called out to stop them, the siblings quickly found themselves running to help as well.  Kris could admit, to herself at least, that she had never seen anything as terrifying.  The things seemed to be standing on two legs, but they had several others that it used effectively.  The fact that it looked somewhat like a giant spider on legs made her skin crawl, but it didn’t stop her from attacking when she had the chance.

The men had divided into two groups to each tackle one of them.  It took them some time, but they finally managed to bring them both down.  The siblings had split between the two, so when the first group finished the men turned to Zack with appreciative gazes.  One of the older men clapped his shoulder with a grin.  “You ain’t half bad.  Better than I expected for sure.”

Zack grinned at the complement, but he lowered his voice when he answered.  “Thanks, but you should see my sister.  Don’t ever tell her I said so, but I still can’t beat her most days.”

The old man gave him a dubious look, but their group had already joined the other and Zack made a motion to cut the man off.  Said sister was close by and he didn’t want her to hear.  His gaze was drawn though when he noted that she was still looking around with a furrowed brow.  He was quickly by her side.  “What is it?”

She didn’t bother looking at him, but she still managed to answer.  “I’m not sure.  There’s something…”  Her voice trailed off as she gave him a wide-eyed look before she took off at a dead run.  He barely heard her as she yelled back over her shoulder.  “The chocobos!”

By that time the men were all looking after her with confused looks.  It only took Zack a moment for his brain to catch up with her action and he was off as well.  None of the men were certain what was going on, but a couple of them had been around long enough to follow their instincts and their instincts were telling them trouble wasn’t gone.  Those few took off after the siblings and the rest finally followed, although they were slower since they had no idea what the issue was.

They were all stopped at the sight they caught when they rounded one of the wagons closest to where the chocobos had been gathered.  Kris had already made it and they all watched in awe as her slight form jumped from the ground to the seat quickly, barely touching the boost bar in the process.  From there, she leapt to the top of the cart.  She ran down the length of it without pause and quickly jumped off the end.  They watched as she used her momentum to twist in the air and bring her staff around in a strike that whistled through the air.  From where they were, they couldn’t see what she was attacking very well, but they heard the sickening crunch of bone before they saw her roll past the end of the wagon.  She was quickly on her feet and rushing back to whatever it was. 

Zack was already around the wagon by that point as well as the two that had followed him.  They found another one of the beasts that had attacked the back of the caravan.  Luckily, Kris’ first blow must have taken the monster by surprise and stunned it.  They didn’t hesitate to take it down before it regained its senses.  It wasn’t long until they had the lifeless beast piled with the other two.  Kris hadn’t helped them with that part.  She used the excuse of trying to help the chocobos calm, but she had no desire to get any closer to the many-legged things.  She had a feeling her nightmares were going to be frequented by the way those legs moved for a while anyway.

Despite her reluctance to help them move the bodies, Kris was surprised at the change in their traveling companions after that day.  On the nights that they stayed with the caravan, both Kris and Zack found that they were often asked to join the rest of the guards.  Hans looked disappointed after the first time, but his father said something to the boy when he noticed, and it didn’t become a problem. 

Despite the uncertainty that had accompanied the siblings when they started with the caravan, by the time they finally made it to Costa del Sol, they were as much a part of the group as any of the others.  Mr. Anders insisted that they stay in the village for one night before they left on the boat to Junon the following day.  There were several ships that made the crossing on a regular basis, so even though it would take them several days to cross, they wouldn’t have to wait longer for one of them.

When the two siblings and the two Anders set down for their meal at the cosy beach restaurant, the man gave them both an evaluating look.  “Never thought I’d be saying this, but the two of you have surprised me.  When I heard that the old coot in Gongaga had managed to convince my boss to let you travel with us, I figured you would slow us down.  Now I find that I’m stuck in a tight spot.”

The two exchanged confused looks before Kris spoke up.  “Tight spot?  Did a problem come up that we didn’t notice?”

The older man grinned at her question and shook his head.  “Not in that sense, no.  But I do have something I’d like to ask you both.”  They gave each other another look before they nodded.  The man was still smiling.  “How dead set are you about making your living in Midgar?”

Neither of them spoke for a moment.  Zack was the one to finally answer.  “I’ve dreamt of joining Soldier for years.  I don’t plan on walking away unless I have to.  Why?”

The older man’s smile dimmed a little, but he chuckled before he answered.  “I suppose that shouldn’t surprise me.”  He looked to Kris at that point.  “And you?  Do you plan on following your brother no matter what?”

Kris wasn’t sure what the man was getting at, but she nodded slowly.  “Someone has to keep him focused.”

They both ignored Zack’s indignant cry at her verbal jab.  Mr. Anders shook his head before he chuckled again, although the sound wasn’t as full bodied as they were used to.  “Well, you can’t blame a man for asking.”  At their curious looks, he shrugged.  “This has been the most profitable run we’ve had in years, and a lot of the thanks goes to you two.  I won’t have to worry about anything during the two winter months I have to wait before we get back on the road.”

They both gave him incredulous looks, but it was Kris that spoke up.  “I appreciate the fact that you think so highly of us, but we didn’t do much.  At least not more than any of the other guards.  I’m not certain that we deserve such praise.”

The man finally did give one of his belly laughs at that.  He waved her off as he calmed finally.  “It wasn’t that.  While the two of you are certainly good fighters, it was the other things you did.  You’ve got a good head on your shoulders for business and the fact that you thought so far ahead as to make sure to allot time to keep building your savings while travelling shows it.  Your hauls made me more money than I ever expected.”

Neither sibling knew what to say at his praise.  Zack was blushing slightly as Kris finally worked to find the words she was looking for.  “I’m glad it helped you out too, but you know that wasn’t our intention.  I mean, not that we don’t want that, but our main goal was to make sure we’re in good shape before we get to Midgar.”

The man waved away her concerns with a chuckle.  “I already know that.  Don’t feel bad for wanting to look after your own.  It’ll be what keeps you alive.”  He paused and gave them a thoughtful look.  “I may end up looking into having a few of the guards do the same when we head back out.  You may have stumbled upon a new formation for our whole business.”

Both of the siblings were shocked at his statement.  It really didn’t affect their lives much, but neither of them had expected the praise and didn’t quite know how to handle it.  Mr. Anders must have noticed their unease and finally changed the subject.  The rest of the meal passed in companionable conversation.  When it was done, the head merchant refused to allow them to pay their own bills.

When they started to make their way to the hotel, the Anders stopped them again.  Kris was surprised when the boy threw his arms around her in a tight hug, but she didn’t get a chance to respond before he let go and held out his hand for Zack.  Her brother shook it with a grin before he ruffled the boy’s hair.  They both watched him with smiles as he took off at a run up the stairs.  They barely heard his goodbye as he disappeared.

They turned to the older man since he hadn’t moved to follow his son.  He gave them both one more evaluating look before he nodded once and held out an envelope.  Kris took it with a curious look, but the man ignored at as he explained.  “When you get to the Eastern Continent things will be different.  With the regular traffic between Junon and Midgar, caravans aren’t a thing over there.  The roads aren’t great, but they exist.  By the time you make it to the mountains it should be spring, and the passes will be open.  It’ll still be dangerous, but I think the two of you can handle it.”

He paused when Kris held the envelope up with a raised brow.  He chuckled at her unspoken question.  “I was getting there.  I have a friend that owes me a favor.  His name is Thom Fellon.  He lives in upper Junon and you can find him at his shop, The Rusted Targe.  He sells weapons but he also has a small flock of chocobos.  Give him that envelope and he’ll set you up with the birds you need to get you to Midgar.”

Both sibling’s eyes widened, and Kris quickly tried to hand the envelope back.  “We can’t accept this!”

The man folded his arms across his chest and shook his head.  “It’s not like it’s costing me anything.  Call it recompense for making me so much gil on this trip.  It’s the least I can do.”

At his words, Zack took the envelope from Kris and looked between it and the man a few times before he spoke.  “Thank you.  Even if we did make it profitable for you, you didn’t have to do this.  We’ll not forget it.”

The man made a noncommittal grunt before he waved off the thanks.  “I’ll be looking for your face in the news.  If you won’t join my caravan, then the least you can do is show me your dedication.”

Both Kris and Zack grinned at his words.  The man didn’t give them much of a chance to respond though.  He turned and waved again before he paused and looked back over his shoulder.  “The room is already paid.  You two stay safe and look out for each other.”  Neither had a chance to object before the man was gone.

* * *

 

The trip across the ocean was an interesting one.  Kris had a feeling she had seen something similar before, but she couldn’t quite recall.  It was a first for Zack though, so the two of them spent most of their time on deck.  Zack even insisted on standing in the rain when a storm blew up.  Kris watched him from the safety of the covered observation area with a lopsided smile.  It had as much to do with the fact that he was acting like he was seven again as it did with the whispers she could hear clearly coming from the young girls near her that had gathered to watch him.  She could already tell this was going to only get more interesting.  If he had teased her about some of his friends having a crush on her, she was going to be merciless about his admirers.

When they got to Junon, it took all Kris had to keep Zack focused.  The way the city was built into the cliffside in layers was a sight to behold.  Although Kris was vocal about how spartan it looked.  Without any greenery, it was too bare for her tastes. 

She finally relented and allowed Zack half a day to look around.  She figured it would give them an opportunity to find the man they had been searching for as well as find a place to stay for the night.  It would be best if they set out first thing instead.  It was nearly dusk when they finally found the place they had been looking for.  They had passed it once already as the sign was small and the shop entrance was in an alley.  They both eyed the sign dubiously but went ahead and entered.

When the bell rang a stooped older man came out from the back and eyed them both with a frown.  His voice was querulous when he spoke.  “You don’t like Shinra to me.  I only sell to employees.”

The two of them gave each other a look and were thinking similar things.  Was this man really a friend of Mr. Anders?  As sharp as the caravan leader had been, he was still personable.  This man seemed to be the exact opposite.  He looked like he was about to throw them out, so Kris stepped forward.  “Are you Thom Fellon?  If so, Rolf Anders sent us.  He thought you might be able to help us.”

At her words the old man grimaced.  “What does that old fool think I can help with?”

Kris’ eyebrows rose at his assessment of his supposed friend, but she didn’t comment.  She only handed him the sealed envelope.  He took it from her with a suspicious glare but opened it and read it anyway.  Once he was done, he looked them both over once again with a more critical eye.  Whatever he found must have suited him as he sighed and motioned for them to follow him into the back of his store.  They gave each other curious looks again, but finally Zack shrugged and followed him with Kris right behind.

When they got into the back, the old man pointed to a small desk.  “Find a seat.”

The two of them didn’t see any chairs, but there were several crates close enough that they could perch themselves on.  Mr. Fellon had already sat behind the desk and was looking through one of the drawers.  He finally found what he had been looking for and sat up with another glare.  He handed the folded paper to Zack before he eyed them both again.  “I’m not sure if the man has started getting senile or what, but I can’t deny the favor.  That map has all the best passes to use, but it’s a long journey.  You will need to go about two thirds of the way across the continent before you’ll be able to cross.  You sure you want to bother?”

Zack was nearly jumping in his excitement as he unfolded the map they had been given.  Kris rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm before she turned back to the older man.  “Yes sir.  We’ve been set on this course for awhile now and we’ve come too far to turn back.  Thank you for the map.”

“Bah.”  The man was glaring again, especially since Zack was still so exuberant.  He shook his head before he fixed her with a hard look.  “I’ve seen boys like that come and go, so don’t get your hopes up.  I’ll have the chocobos ready near the south entrance at dawn.  If you aren’t there I’m not waiting.”

Kris gave the man a nod as she stood and grabbed Zack.  “Thank you.  We’ll see you then.”  The man watched as the much smaller girl dragged her brother out while obviously reprimanding him for not keeping calm.  The old man couldn’t help his smile at the sight.  He may not understand what his old partner saw in the two, but they were certainly dedicated.

The next morning found the two siblings huddled together near the south entrance of the city.  The weather was milder in Junon than winters were in Gongaga, but the wind blowing in off the ocean had a bitter bite to it, especially as it was still the middle of winter.  Luckily, they didn’t have to wait long.  The man eyed them curiously when he saw them waiting but didn’t say anything.  He didn’t even stick around for them to thank him again.  They only watched his retreating form for a few moments before they both turned to start transferring their stuff to the saddlebags.

It didn’t take them long to finish, and they started out as soon as they were in the saddles.  They were both hunched against the wind and hoped it would die down as they made their way inland.

Luckily for the two of them the weather did improve as they headed steadily east.  It wasn’t great the whole way though.  They stuck close to the mountain range as they went, which helped block some of the worst of the northern wind, but that also meant that there were several times they were caught in snow storms.  During the worst of those they would hole up in the closest village until it passed.

Their travel was slow, since they would also take time to hunt.  They didn’t want to stop just because they were traveling alone.  It helped supplement their stocks with fresh meat, but it also allowed them to keep increasing their funds.  Despite Zack’s tendency to want to splurge occasionally, he didn’t whine too much at Kris’ insistence that they be as frugal as possible.

By the time they made it to the pass that they would use to cross the mountains, spring had finally arrived.  With it came torrential rainfalls, but Kris had allowed them to purchase waterproof cloaks as well as sturdier bags to keep the worst of it from ruining their supplies.  During their trek across the divide, they barely stopped for rest and didn’t bother hunting.  Even though it was spring, and the snow was melting, it was still cold near the peaks and they wanted down as quickly as possible.

They skirted the giant swamp near the base as it was marked with danger signs.  It was the only place on the map that was marked as such, so they had no desire to find out why.  They also found that there were several notes on the back, including advice to stop in Kalm.  By the time they got that far, they had already been told why in several of the villages they stopped in.  Once they got passed Kalm, the going would get much tougher.  Not because the monsters were worse or the weather, but because it was a wasteland.

They were both skeptical the first time they were told, but after hearing it so many times they decided it would be better to be safe than sorry and stocked up more than usual for the expected two weeks it would take them to get from Kalm to their final destination.  They were both glad they had.

At their first sight of the wastelands, they both paused.  It was not the same as the desert.  Even though that place was so hot that it was nearly barren, at least there were things that were hardy enough to survive in the heat.  This place seemed to have nothing.  It put them both on edge, and even though they hadn’t had problems with monsters so far, they decided that they would take turns sleeping.

Fortunately, the rest of the trip was uneventful.  They started seeing the city two days before they finally made it to one of the gates thanks to the way the city seemed to be in the bottom of a bowl shape.  They both paused a few miles out and stared to the colossal wall that seemed to stretch forever in both directions.  Kris poked Zack in the side at the sight of his mouth hanging open.  When he looked at her with wide eyes she grinned.  “Ready to make your destiny little brother?”  He laughed at her question before he spurred his chocobo into a run.  Her laughter could be heard joining with his as they raced to the nearest gate.


	7. Chapter 7

## Chapter 7

When they arrived, they found that the giant door was closed, and they couldn’t see any way to open it.  They looked for nearly half an hour and couldn’t find any way to even ring a bell or let someone know they were there.  They also couldn’t find any evidence that the gate was manned.

They were aggravated, but Zack was still so excited about being near the city he had dreamt of for so long, that the delay didn’t faze him much.  They finally decided to pick a direction and see if they could find an alternate entrance.  It didn’t take them long until they came across a long ramp that seemed to lead to another gate further up the side of the wall.

They hadn’t made it all the way up the ramp when they noticed a smaller door open, and a man came out.  He stood waiting for them.  When they drew even, they dismounted, and the man gave them a quick once over.  He looked to Zack first.  “Lemme guess, you’re here to try out for Soldier?”

Kris narrowed her eyes at the tone to the man’s voice, but Zack didn’t seem to notice anything.  She held her tongue and let her brother speak.  “That’s right!”  She smiled as he tried to reign in his enthusiasm.  He scratched the back of his head with a chuckle before he continued.  “I guess you get a lot of us, huh?”

The man didn’t bother hiding his rolling eyes before he looked them over again.  He shrugged lazily before he turned back to the door he had come from.  “Follow me.  We’ll check your paperwork.”

Kris did not like the man’s attitude, but she knew Midgar was not going to be like Gongaga and held her tongue.  They led their chocobos and followed the man across a large empty room that contained several other people that seemed to be waiting as well.  He left them with another uniformed man before he headed back to his post.

The new man seemed to be a bit nicer as he actually bothered to smile at the two of them.  “We get so many people looking for a new life here.  Why don’t the two of you tell me what you’re looking for and I can try to get you started?”

Kris frowned slightly as it was easy to see the man was faking his geniality, but she shrugged it off as Zack launched into his dream of joining Soldier and becoming famous.  Kris wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or punch the man when she caught him rolling his eyes.

Once Zack was done their escort turned to her.  “What about you?”

Now that they were actually here, Kris found that she was reluctant to tell anyone else that she couldn’t remember her past.  She shrugged slightly and pointed at Zack.  “I wanted to make sure he stays in line, plus I think that Midgar is the place to be to find a better living.”

The man frowned slightly.  “You do realize that many come here with only a vague notion of what they want and either leave empty handed or wind up in worse straights then they were in before?”

She barely stopped herself from frowning at him.  “That doesn’t surprise me.  Are you saying I don’t get the chance?”

The man must have seen something in her eyes, and he took a step back and shook his head.  “Not at all.  As long as you have your paperwork, I can’t stop you.  I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were in for.”

Kris grunted at him but didn’t say anything else.  The last thing she wanted was to get in trouble before they were even in the city proper.  At that point, the man took a seat behind a computer close by and motioned for the two of them to take a seat after they tied their chocobos to a nearby post.

It took an unreasonable amount of time for the man to go over their papers and take their pictures for the new IDs.  Kris wanted to curse at the fact that they had not had a chance to clean up very well since they left Kalm.  She knew there had to be a layer of grime all over her and when she saw the picture, she wanted to groan.  At least Zack looked happy at the idea that they were one step closer to being citizens.

Once that was taken care of the man motioned them to follow once again.  He stopped at another large door and gave them a critical look.  “Chocobos aren’t allowed to travel the roads in the city proper.  Just passed this gate is a selection of inns for newcomers to the city where you can stay while you find a place.  They also have stables where you can keep the birds until you can find something more suitable for them.  If you decide to keep them, there are special paths you must use, but there should be a specialist at the inn you choose that can help you further.  I wish you both luck.”

At that, he opened the doors and waved them through.  They both stopped at the sight of the number of people milling about the area.  Kris was slightly overwhelmed as she wondered if they had stumbled on the only door that took new citizens, or if all the gates were crowded.  It was made worse by the fact that she knew all the people milling about were ones looking to start a new life just like they were.

She quickly got herself together and looked to her brother.  He was staring in awe with his mouth open.  She understood the feeling, but she also knew they couldn’t keep standing there.  She pinched the underside of his arm to get his attention.  He yelped before he glared at her, but he still leaned toward her when she motioned him to.  “Keep a close eye on your packs.  We have the most important stuff on us, but it’s better not to take chances.”

He was still rubbing his arm where she pinched him as he gave her a nod.  That was all she needed before she took the lead.  She knew their gil should be mostly safe as she had insisted they split it between them and store it on different parts of their bodies.  If they were accosted by pickpockets, there was not too much in any one place.

They ended up going to three different inns before they found one that both had an opening and a stable for the chocobos.  At least from what Kris could tell they were all about the same as far as quality went.  It didn’t take them long to strip their mounts down and clean them before they headed up to their room.  They had to share one, but at least it had two beds.  It wasn’t like they weren’t used to it anyway.  It didn’t take them long to rig a sheet up to divide the room.  It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than nothing.

By that time, they were both ready to call it a night.  The innkeeper had been kind enough to agree to send their food up to their room, so they were able to share a meal in relative silence before they sat to figure out their next moves.  As much as Kris wanted to get started looking for a place as soon as possible, Zack convinced her to go with him the following day to see if he could sign up.  Even though there was still a lot to discuss, once that decision was made, they both decided to turn in and get an early start the next day.

* * *

 

The next morning, Kris took the precaution of dividing their gill again before she allowed them to leave the room.  She felt strange leaving the rest of their things but knew they couldn’t take everything with them through the city.  At breakfast, they met the specialist they had been told about.  The woman was the first person they had seen in the city that seemed to genuinely want to help them.  Her smile was contagious, and the siblings quickly found themselves caught up in the woman’s enthusiasm.

Once they briefly went over their plans for the day, the woman told them where they could get train passes to take them to the city center, as well as advised them that they would probably want to make a stop at one of the banks before they continued.  It wasn’t that gil would not be accepted, but it would be easier to guard a card than a bunch of cash.  Both siblings thanked the woman as they left and headed toward the building she had pointed to first.

There was only one bank in Midgar, but it had many branches strewn across the metropolis.  That was a fact that Kris was grateful for.  It took them nearly an hour to be seen at that branch, but opening an account went smoother than she had anticipated.  Both she and Zack were given a card to carry that would be accepted anywhere in the city.  The woman they were working with paused at that point and frowned slightly before she gave them a final warning.  “If you do end up below the plate for some reason, those won’t do you any good.  Take my advice and stay away from there if you can.”

They both gave her a nod.  It wasn’t as if they hadn’t heard it before.  Even in Gongaga, the rumors of the slums were not pretty.  Kris was sure it was exaggerated, but she had no desire to find out first hand.

Before they even left the building, Kris made sure Zack had his card stashed where it couldn’t be reached easily by someone else before they took off for the closest train station.  By the time they reached the city center, it was already lunchtime, and it took Kris some effort to convince Zack to let them eat before they tackled the Shinra headquarters.  It was only the fact that she told Zack that he would need all the energy he could muster if they did take him for an evaluation that allowed her to convince him to take a break first.

They found a place not far from the square in front of the imposing structure that gave them a good view of the front doors.  Kris could understand Zack’s silence as he kept looking across to it.  The building was both awe-inspiring and intimidating.  Even though she had managed to stall for a short break, it wasn’t long until he was up and practically dragging her across the square to the building.

Once they were inside, they found a short line in front of a large desk in the middle of the foyer.  Several women behind it were coolly directing the visitors where to go.  It wasn’t long until the siblings had made their way to the front.  Kris allowed Zack to take over at that point and explain why they were there.  When he was done, the woman gave her a questioning look.  Kris shrugged under the weight of it and pointed to Zack.  “I’m just here for moral support.”

The woman nodded, but her next words had Zack’s head drooping.  “Try-outs are only held once a month.  You missed the one this month by more than a week.  If you are still interested, you are welcome to return on April 23rd.  That is when the next try-outs will be held.”

Even though Zack didn’t seem to want to move, Kris thanked the woman and grabbed his arm to lead him out.  She didn’t force him far though.  She allowed him the chance to sit on one of the benches and stare into space for a short while.  When he finally seemed to come back to himself, she gave him a hopeful smile.  “You know that doesn’t mean you can’t come back.  Unless prices are higher than we were led to believe we should be able to find a place to stay and have six months paid as long as we’re careful.  I can look for a job as soon as we find a place too, so there is nothing to stop you from coming back.  I know as soon as they see you, there won’t be any problems.”

It took a moment for her words to sink in, but when they did, his energetic demeanor returned with fervor, and he grinned at her.  “You’re right.  I’ll just use these next couple of weeks to train so I can knock em dead.”

She laughed as she stood and offered him her hand.  “That’s the spirit.  Now, why don’t we not let this afternoon go to waste?  We should be able to at least check a few of these places out before we have to head back.”  She pointed to a map of potential apartments their specialist had given them that morning.

He grinned as he pulled her in for a quick hug.  “Let’s go.”

* * *

 

It ended up taking them four days to finally find a place that was within their budget that had an opening.  Unfortunately, the apartments didn’t have accommodations for the two chocobos.  Both Zack and Kris were sad to have to sell them, but the trade-off was that they had already paid for six months and the place had two bedrooms.  Plus, it was closer to the city center so they wouldn’t have to worry about long train rides to get to the Shinra headquarters.  Or at least Zack wouldn’t.  Kris still hadn’t found what she was going to do, although she really hadn’t had much opportunity to look either.

Once they found the place, they took a few more days to find furnishings that wouldn’t break the bank and get everything settled.  The money they received from selling the chocobos helped with that.  Kris had started looking for work as well.  She ended up getting a lucky break when one of the retail stores they visited needed a new cashier.  It was tedious work as far as Kris was concerned, but it gave them the money they needed for bills and food.  They had enough for the first month put aside already, but things would have gotten tight if she hadn’t found the job.

The man that owned the store was nice too, which was a plus when she asked to take a day almost as soon as she started to go with Zack to the try-outs.  When the man heard why, he told her it would be no problem.  Zack had been with her when she put in the application, and his personable attitude had won the man over right away.  He made sure to tell her to wish Zack luck the day before the try-outs when she left.

* * *

 

That next morning, Zack was up before the dawn and pestering Kris to get up as well.  He wanted to make sure he didn’t miss his opportunity.  It didn’t matter that they were only thirty minutes away from the building, even if they had to walk.  She finally relented and got up, but she refused to budge until after she had some coffee.  When she started on her second cup, Zack had resorted to staring at her across the table with soulful eyes.   She rolled her own every time she caught sight of it.

When he started adding his clasped hands to the look, she finally laughed and got up to rinse her cup.  “You are such a pain sometimes.  Let me make us both some eggs and then we can leave.”

He perked up immediately at her suggestion.  “Can I help?”

She glared at him, but it didn’t have any heat.  “No.  If you want to leave quickly let me get done.”  He really didn’t mind her rejection, since he knew he was still clueless in the kitchen.  Once Kris had moved in, his mother found that it was next to impossible to convince him to learn.

It didn’t take them long to finish.  Kris made sure to lock the door as they left, but Zack was in such a good mood that he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder so he could run to the station.  By the time he let her down, her face was red, and she was having to fight to keep from yelling.  It was only the strange looks they were getting that made her only push him onto the train instead.  When she watched him bounce in his seat from his excitement, her ire fell away, and she smiled.  She didn’t let him see it though.  Every time he looked back at her she glared at him.  She may have understood his enthusiasm, but she didn’t have to let him know he was off the hook for his stunt already.

When they made it to the building, the receptionist smiled at Zack’s grin as she directed them to the 49th floor.  There was a Soldier in a blue uniform waiting by the elevator that led them to the room the try-outs were in.  He gave her a funny look, but when she explained why she was there, he smiled and directed her to an observation room that overlooked the place the tests would be held.  She gave Zack a hug and wished him luck before she headed up to watch.

She was not the only person there, but there weren’t many.  She found out that it wasn’t uncommon for boys from villages across the world to come alone.  Especially as some of them had been scouted by the Turks.  Something about that news made her head hurt as a memory tried to surface, but it was gone quickly.  She didn’t have time to worry about it either as it wasn’t long before the tests started.

* * *

 

Zack had a hard time sitting through the first part of the tests as it was written.  It wasn’t that it was difficult at all, but he couldn’t sit still.  He was so glad when the last paper was retrieved that he almost let out a whoop.  He stopped just in time when an older Soldier walked into the room.  The dark-haired man spoke to the one that had administered the test before he walked to the front of the room and addressed them all.  “I know many of you have come from far and wide to prove that you are fit candidates for Soldier.  Today we will see how many of you can make it into Shinra’s elite.  Know now that it is not easy and will never be easy.  If you are still interested line up to the right.”

None of the boys hesitated to line up.  The man smiled at them before he moved to the front of the line.  He towered above all of them, so it was no issue for him to yell and be heard, even at the back of the line.  “First we’ll test your stamina.  Follow me.”

At that, he turned and started running.  Zack had been practicing for years with Kris, and the trip from Gongaga to Midgar had only honed his skills.  The jog was set at a comfortable pace, but it seemed to go on for hours.  He allowed his mind to roam as he followed the bear of a man in front of him.  He had lost count of the number of laps when he finally realized the color of the man’s uniform and what it meant.  They were being tested by one of the Firsts.  Zack’s excitement at the realization nearly made him speed up, but he got a few glares from his peers and stepped back into line.

By the time the jog was called to a halt nearly half the boys had dropped out.  Zack felt bad as they all slouched out, but he didn’t have time to worry about it as the First quickly had them on to something else.  The next tests were all designed to observe their stamina, speed, and agility.  By the time they were done, the original group was down to less than ten.  Zack was winded, but he was still too excited to let it get to him.  He was one of the few left, and he planned on being remembered.

At that point, the man turned to the remaining boys with an evaluating eye.  He let them get some water and rest for a few minutes as he explained what came next.  “You have all shown great resilience, but now we get to see if you have any grit for combat.  For today only, I’ll let you pick your weapon, and you can show me what you’re made of.”

He gave them ten minutes before he had them paired up.  Most of the boys went for the dull swords along the wall.  Zack thought about it too, but he finally decided that if he wanted to impress them, then he would show them that he wasn’t inexperienced.  Especially since they were told to pick any weapon.  Several of the boys laughed when he grabbed a staff, but Zack just shot them a grin.  Once they were given the start signal, it was quickly apparent that none of the boys knew how to use a sword.  A couple of them chose to drop them and go at each other with their fists even.

Zack quickly realized that he far outclassed the boy he was paired with.  He tried not to hurt him, but he ended up knocking him off his feet three times before the boy stayed down.

After fifteen minutes the Soldier called a halt to the matches and looked around.  He made a few notes before he spoke to the group.  “From here, please follow Soldier Atlag and he will give you the final instructions for the day.  No matter what happens from here, I want to thank you all for your support of Shinra.”

Zack was a little let down that it was almost over, but he turned to follow the rest of them out.  He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see it was the First that had been leading them.  His eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he had to force himself to focus on what the man was saying.  “You don’t see boys trying out for Soldier often grab a staff instead of a sword.”

It took Zack several moments before he could make his mouth actually produce sound.  “Well sir, you said to show you what we are made of and I know the staff already.”

The man chuckled slightly.  “So I could see.  How’d you pick up that skill?”

“Uh, my si-ibling taught me.”  He had almost said sister, but something made him not want to share that part.

One of the man’s eyebrows rose at his statement, but if he caught onto the near slip, he didn’t say anything about it.  Instead, he clapped Zack on the shoulder.  “Your sibling huh?  Well, they must have been a good teacher.”  He didn’t give Zack a chance to confirm or deny it before he turned to lead him out the way the rest of the hopefuls had gone.

His voice continued to be genial as he walked Zack down the hall.  “There is one more thing we have to check before we can even talk about letting you into Soldier, but something tells me the next part will be easy for you.”

Zack tried to keep from getting nervous, but the things that kept popping into his head were getting progressively worse.  He was barely holding himself together when he was led into a small room with a padded table and a smiling woman.  She patted a hand on the table as she spoke.  “Why don’t you jump up here for me.  This shouldn’t take long.”

Zack did as he was told as the woman set to preparing something in a syringe.  The man worked to keep his attention away from it as she finished.  “My name is Commander Angeal Hewley.  I think you’ve shown a lot of potential.  Hopefully, this will pass quickly.”

At that point, the woman grabbed his attention again.  “This is a small amount of diluted mako.  We just need to see if your body can handle it.  Don’t worry, it shouldn’t be enough to make you sick, but there are some that get a little nauseous.  Please let me know if you start feeling ill at all, okay?”

Zack nodded at her and grit his teeth at the sharp sting.  The initial prick wasn’t much, but the mako burned like fire.  Once she was done, she had him hold a piece of gauze over the injection site as she cleaned up.  She then smiled at him and had him lie back.  “I’ll be back in a half hour to see how you’re doing.  In the meantime, just relax.  If you start to feel anything adverse you can push that button next to your head.”

Zack had wanted to talk to the Soldier more, but the man left when the woman did.  His mind was going too fast for him to relax much.  It was nearly fifteen minutes after they had left that he remembered Kris was still waiting for him.  He felt a little bad that he had gotten distracted to the point of forgetting she was there too, but he knew she would understand.  He couldn’t stop his grin when he realized he might have good news.

By the time the woman returned, his mind had barely slowed down.  She removed the gauze and checked his injection site before she gave him a bright smile.  “Looks like you will be able to handle the mako with no problem!  Commander Hewley should be waiting outside for you.  Give him this.”

She handed him a sheet of paper with her messy signature at the bottom.  Zack thanked her and walked out of the room in a daze.  He was still on autopilot when he handed the paper off.  The Commander glanced over the sheet before he grinned and clapped Zack on the shoulder.  “Something told me you were perfect for this.  Come with me.”

Zack followed the man in silence to a spartan office.  He barely noticed it though when he was directed to take a seat.  The man turned to him with a smile, and Zack finally shook his shock off when the man spoke.  “Looking at your paperwork, I see that you won’t be old enough to join for a couple more months, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get you started.  If you’re interested, I would like to offer you an unpaid internship until you can be enlisted.  We would use the next two months to get you up to par for a Soldier Third.  What do you say?”

Zack stared at him in shock for several moments.  When he spoke, his voice had gone up an octave, and he had to clear his throat before he could continue.  “Are you saying you want to spend the next two months training me?  Yourself?”

The Soldier chuckled at his excitement.  “If you’re interested.”

Zack jumped up and only stopped himself from hugging the man across the desk at the last minute.  Instead, he tried to give him a salute.  “Yes sir!  Just tell me when and where.”

The Commander stood with a smile and held out his hand.  “Glad to hear it.  You can meet me at the elevator on this floor at 07:00.  We’ll fill out all the paperwork and get you started then.”

Zack took the man’s hand and shook it until the Commander raised a brow at him.  He felt his face flush, but nothing could bring him down.  He saluted again with thanks before he finally walked out of the office.  Once the door was closed, he could barely keep himself from sprinting to the elevators.

When he got there, he found Kris was seated next to them.  When she saw him, she raised her brow in an unspoken question.  Zack didn’t bother to try and explain.  He grabbed her in a hug so tight it lifted her feet off the ground.  She started laughing when he spun her a couple of times and had to beat on his shoulder before he let her go.  She smiled at his enthusiasm.  “I take it that means you got in?”

He grabbed her hand and drug her to the elevator.  “I’ll explain over dinner.  We are celebrating.”  Kris couldn’t bring herself to argue.  If you couldn’t celebrate dreams coming true, then what else would ever be worth it.  She allowed him to drag her down the road and to a restaurant that her boss had recommended, laughing at his continued enthusiasm the whole way.


	8. Chapter 8

##  **Chapter 8**

The next two months flew by for both siblings, but for different reasons.  After his first day of orientation with Commander Hewley, Zack spent nearly every day at the Shinra Headquarters from early morning to after dark.  There were several nights that he came home so exhausted that he barely ate and showered before he went to bed.  If it weren’t for the fact that he had shared information about the intense workouts he was going through, Kris might have been worried.  As it was, she did what she could to help him.

Those two months weren’t easy for Kris either.  The man that had hired her, Mr. Alexandros, had been looking for a cashier and general gopher to help because he was getting older and the work was harder for him, but he wasn’t ready to retire.  Originally, he had planned to take the time and clean up past due paperwork and hopefully stress less in general.  It was only two weeks into her employment though when he realized that she was both excellent with the customers as well as with the numbers.  Once he figured that out, he started only coming in for the midday rush and then again at closing time.  After the first month, he had taken to letting her handle most of the workload.

He wasn’t able to give her an increase in pay with the extra workload, but as compensation, he wrote off what they still owed on the furniture and allowed her to pick out pieces to finish furnishing their apartment.  As long as it wasn’t an expensive piece, she had the pick of the store.  It was hard work, but Kris enjoyed it most of the time.  It made sure they were able to keep their savings from depleting as well as paying the bills.  Not having to pay for the furniture helped out a lot.

Zack hadn’t gotten any time off during his training, since they only had about two months before he would be tested for acceptance into Soldier.  It wasn’t that he didn’t come home nightly with good news on his progress, but he worked extra hard to make sure there would be no question of his qualifications.  Kris suspected that it wasn’t going to be an issue since it was one of the famous Firsts that had scouted him.  She doubted the man would have offered to mentor Zack if he hadn’t seen his potential, but she knew he needed to focus so she didn’t say anything.

With the way both of their schedules worked out, there were several nights a week that they would miss each other.  Either he would already be asleep by the time she came in, or they would both be too tired to talk.  Their lack of regular communication and long days were what prompted Kris to start putting together all their meals for the week on her days off.  Since they were in the middle of the week, those became the two days Zack looked forward to the most.  He enjoyed her cooking, and appreciated her efforts, but those two days always meant he had something fresh when he got home. 

As hard as it was for them both, they found that they were happy.  It was still exciting for them both to look forward and see their dreams coming true.  At least Zack’s anyway.  Kris had all but forgotten the main reason Zack had used to convince her to come with him to Midgar, but she wasn’t upset by that fact.  Her life was too full to worry about it.

* * *

 

It was two days before Zack’s final trial and the day before his birthday.  Kris had just finished helping a young couple with a new crib purchase when Mr. Alexandros called her back to his office.  It was closing time anyway, so she locked the front and followed him back.  When they sat down, he gave her a warm smile before he started.  “Kris, I can’t begin to tell you what a blessing it was to have hired you.  Since you started, I have finally had time to catch up and things are running smoothly again.”

She gave him a smile and a quiet thank you, but that was all she was able to produce.  Something in her gut told her that wasn’t the reason he had called her back.  She didn’t have to wait long to have that fear confirmed.  “You know, when I first posted your position, I was planning on putting everything in order so I could sell the business and retire.  I’m not able to do as much as I used to.  With the way it worked out though, I think I can keep going for a few more years at least.  I think we need to make some changes though.”

This was the part she had been dreading.  She hoped he wasn’t going to tell her he didn’t need her anymore.  She had been lucky to find the job in the first place.  Jobs were scarce in Midgar, even if a person did decide to work for Shinra.  There was a lot of competition.  She still managed to give him a nod.

He must have noticed her nerves, because his smile widened, and he patted her hands that she had clasped on the desk.  “Don’t worry.  I think you’ll be a big part of the future, but I’ve noticed that we only have a few days a week that are busy.  The rest of the time we’ve spent getting things back together.  Now that I’ve got everything cleaned up, I’m going to cut back the hours and only be open on those three days.  I still want you here though.”

Kris felt her stomach drop out.  She quickly cleared her expression though.  At least he wasn’t firing her.  She still stumbled when she tried to speak though.  “But… I mean, well… I understand.”

He patted her hands again and tried to reassure her.  “I know this is really cutting back your hours, but we both know that Zack will be starting with Shinra soon.  Even if he does end up having to stay in the barracks at first, he won’t have anything to spend his money on besides helping you.  If it comes down to it, and you think you absolutely need to get a second job, I’d be happy to give you a reference.  I would really appreciate you staying on here though.”

Kris bit her tongue and nodded.  She knew she had a good position, even with the cut hours.  She spoke up to reassure him at that point.  “I really appreciate everything you’ve done already, so don’t worry that I’ll be leaving because of this.  We’ll take it a day at a time and see how it goes.  Right?”

She knew he could tell her smile was forced, but he gave her another smile anyway.  “Well, now that the hard part is out of the way, why don’t you go ahead and head home.  I can take care of the rest.  I’ll see you Friday at the normal time.”

She could only manage a nod as she got up to leave.  She ended up debating the whole way home if she should tell Zack.  She finally decided that she would have to, but not the following day.  His birthday would be for celebrating only.

* * *

 

Even though they didn’t have their parents, they still put together a little party for him.  It was just the two of them, but they still shared a special dinner.  Kris even managed to bake a decent cake for him.  The meal was smaller than normal since Zack still had last minute practice, but Kris had the whole day to make sure it was nice when he got home.

Kris had planned on making him sit and write to their parents, but he convinced her it would be best to wait until he finished his trials.  She rolled her eyes at his excuse, since she was certain it was only a formality by that point, but she didn’t push him.  He did have a point about wanting to describe how everything went.

Kris had a lot on her mind when they finally turned in, but she didn’t let it show when Zack thanked her for the cake.  She managed a smile for him before they went to sleep.  That night, she was plagued by her nightmares, but for the first time since her first one, she didn’t bother Zack.  Instead, she made use of the time she was awake and had a beautiful spread ready for Zack’s breakfast to wish him luck.

She wasn’t sure if he caught on that there was something wrong, but on his way out he grabbed her in a tight hug.  She gave him a questioning look when he released her, but he just shrugged with a grin.  “I need all the luck I can get.  I figured it couldn’t hurt to get some from you too.”

She found herself grinning despite her worries.  “You can have all the luck I can give you, even if you don’t need it.  I’ll be expecting good news.”

He gave her a mock salute as he headed out.  “Yes ma’am!”  She was still smiling when she turned to clean up after he was gone.

* * *

 

Zack couldn’t remember ever being more nervous then he was at that moment.  Angeal had taken him to a small lounge like area to wait while he went to talk to whoever would be making the decisions.  His nerves finally got the best of him and he started doing squats to help burn off some of the nervous energy.  He had lost count of how many he had done, by the time the door finally swished open.  He was caught off guard by who walked in and had stopped halfway up again.

When he finally caught sight of Angeal’s grin, he stood hurriedly and saluted.  “General Sephiroth!”

The tall silver haired man was looking at him with a blank face.  Zack had to swallow the nerves that were even worse than before.  He could even feel his palms start to sweat, but he forced himself to stand still at attention. 

It was several moments before Sephiroth finally stepped forward and held out his hand.  “I have heard a lot about you.  Angeal seems to think you make a good candidate for my troops.  What do you believe?”

Zack took the offered handshake and was thankful that they were both wearing gloves.  It still took him several tries before he could finally make his voice work.  This was ten times worse than when he first met Angeal.  Even though he had been nervous then, Angeal just seemed to give off a calming aura that helped him forget his nerves.  The General on the other hand, was intimidation incarnate.

When Sephiroth’s gaze started to cool, Zack finally jumped to try to keep from making a bad impression.  “I agree with him sir.  I know I am still unproven, but I have worked hard for years to be able to get to this point.  I believe I deserve the chance to prove it.”

Sephiroth raised one brow at the boy’s sudden confidence.  Despite his initial nerves, he certainly seemed to know exactly what he wanted.  That wasn’t a bad trait for a Soldier to have.  He gave a nod and motioned for them both to follow him.  He had to hide his own smile when Angeal shot him a grin.  He doubted the boy had seen it though, as it was easy to tell he was still nervous.  He didn’t hold it against him.  So far, he was doing better than 90 percent of the potential candidates since he was still on his feet.

He led them to one of the smaller training rooms.  It was one that he knew Zack would be familiar with since it was where Angeal spent most of their training hours.  He was gratified to see that the familiar surroundings helped ease the boy’s nerves.  Although he doubted it would last for long given what he was about to say.

Zack jumped back to attention when Sephiroth turned to him again.  He had to lock his knees into place at what was said though.  “If you believe you have what it takes, do you think you can stand against me for five minutes?”

Zack had broken out into a cold sweat at that question.  Going against the best of the best for any amount of time was terrifying.  Before he lost it though, Angeal caught his eye and gave him a slight nod.  That was all Zack needed to remember that he had come too far to quit now.  Despite the situation, he grinned as he answered.  “Sir, I believe you could have me down in less than ten seconds if you really wanted to, however, that doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t get right back up.  I wouldn’t go down without a fight.”

Kris’ constant reminders to never give up played through his head as he stood and waited for a response.  His grin widened slightly when the General nodded and grabbed one of the practice swords.  He then indicated for Zack to grab one as well.  “Let’s see if you can back that up.  I will not use my full strength, as you are unenhanced, but do not expect this to be easy.”

Zack was so anxious he wasn’t sure if he would be able to hold the sword he picked up.  When he took up one of the stances Angeal had taught him, and saw a familiar spark in the General’s eyes, he was reminded of the first time he had started sparring with Kris.  Even though he was hopeless back then, she expected him to do his best and he eventually got good enough that he could at least keep up most of the time.  No matter how scary the General was, he couldn’t think of failing or he was already done for.  His grip firmed and he grinned when Sephiroth finally lunged at him.

Much to Zack’s surprise, and relief, he didn’t go down in ten seconds.  He was able to parry the first several blows, even if his hands did hurt afterwards.  He ignored the pain as he focused on watching for slight changes in Sephiroth’s stance that could indicate what his next move was.  He didn’t even think about going on the offensive.  He doubted he would be allowed to.  That hadn’t been what was asked anyway.  He just had to last five minutes.  He quickly lost track of time as he focused.

It was at least a couple of minutes into the spar before the difference in skill quickly became apparent.  Despite the fact that Zack had been watching like a hawk, Sephiroth shifted mid-swing and caught him off guard.  He managed to get his sword around in time to block, but his angle was bad, and the blow knocked it from his hands and across the room.  Zack refused to let that be the end though.  He ducked the next blow and rolled closer to the weapon rack.  He knew he wouldn’t have much time, so he grabbed the closest thing.  When he realized it was a staff, he grinned wider. 

He spun and blocked the next blow.  He ignored Sephiroth’s raised brow at his weapon choice and focused on blocking.  He knew the General was going easy on him when he finally saw an opening for an offensive move.  He didn’t hesitate to take it.  He only realized at the last moment that it had been a trap.  He was experienced enough with the staff though, that he was able to spin it in his fingers and knock the potentially bruising blow far enough away that it barely grazed his arm instead of landing on his ribs.

After that, he got lost in the rhythm of blocking blow after blow.  He was given a couple more openings, but he didn’t take them.  He didn’t want to chance it, as he finally remembered the General was skilled enough that he never created openings.  Despite how well he thought he was doing, Sephiroth eventually managed to get past his guard with another switch.  He had aimed for Zack’s ribs again but ended up swiftly dropping and swung for his legs instead.

Zack groaned at the bruising impact and found himself on his back with Sephiroth’s sword at his neck.  He held in his curse at the fact that he had been knocked down and knew the spar was over.

When Sephiroth moved back, Angeal was there with a grin to help him to his feet.  Zack didn’t understand why he was smiling until Sephiroth spoke.  “That was an excellent display of quick thinking.  You’re fast, and it shows.  Thank you for the spar Soldier Fair.”

Zack blinked a few times as the words sank in.  His heart nearly burst when he realized his new commanding officer had just complimented him.  He saluted with a grin.  “The pleasure was mine, sir!”

Sephiroth finally gave him a small smile and turned to Angeal.  “I trust you can finish?”

Angeal gave him a wave.  “I’ll send you my full report later.”  Sephiroth gave them both a nod before he walked out. 

Once he was gone, Angeal clapped Zack on the shoulder and headed toward the door.  “Why don’t we finish getting you set up, Soldier.”

* * *

 

Kris had another big meal waiting when Zack finally got home.  She had no doubt that he would have good news.  When he came in, his eyes lit up, but the first thing he did was grab her in a tight hug.  She was grinning when he let her go.  “I told you there was nothing to worry about.”

He laughed and grabbed her again.  He carried her to the table before he let her go and sat down.  He shook his head.  “Man, I am going to miss this.  You know I’m spoiled, right?”

Even though his words confirmed one of her fears, she managed to give him a smile.  It wasn’t long until it was no longer forced.  His tale of how he made Soldier was thrilling.  Being able to stand toe to toe with Sephiroth for more than eight minutes had to be a feat that was not easily accomplished.  Even if the General was fighting at less than his normal capacity.  She wondered briefly if Zack embellished the story a little, but she realized that if he had gone up against the famous General, it was all likely true.  She was just happy that he wasn’t hurt.

After they ate, they settled in to go over what they both needed to do.  Zack was still the one doing most of the talking.  “Angeal has me all set up so that tomorrow is my official start date.  I have to stay in the barracks while I’m a Third, but he doesn’t think it’ll be long until I become a Second.  Even though I won’t be here, you don’t have to worry about killing yourself so much.  I can help out now and you can work normal hours.”

Kris was both relieved and sad that he had offered.  It might be a necessity if she couldn’t find a second job.  She knew she needed to tell him, as his days off would likely only be during the days she would be working.  She hated ruining the mood, but she knew it was now or never.  “I’m really glad you got in, although given the fact that Commander Hewley personally trained you, I never thought you wouldn’t.”

He grinned at her, but she didn’t let him interrupt.  “I hate to spoil the mood, but I have news too.”

His smile finally dimmed as he took in her tone and tenseness.  His voice was concerned.  “Is everything okay?”

She managed a smile as she patted his arm.  “It’s not a big deal, but Mr. Alexandros cut back the hours the store will be open.  I’ll only be working Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  It’ll still be nearly a full week, since I’ll be there from open to close.”

His brows drew down.  “Well, don’t worry about it.  I already told you I would help.  Besides, we might get lucky and by the time this lease is up we can move to Sector 5.”

She laughed at his determination.  She should have known he would only be worried and not upset.  “I believe you can do it too.  For now, we’ll be fine.  Rent is already paid, and what I make should be enough for me to pay most of the bills.  You won’t have to help much.”

He shook his head before he gave her another quick hug.  “I wouldn’t ever abandon you anyway.  Like I could stay focused without you.”

She knew he was just trying to lighten the mood, so she grinned and ruffled his hair.  She started clearing the dishes off as she spoke.  “You are amazing already.  I can only imagine that it won’t be long until you have your own fan club like the Firsts.  I can see the girls lining up already.”

She laughed when her teasing made him turn a bright red.  It took him several moments to find his voice, but he had already started helping.  “Well, if I do end up with a fan club, I’ll make sure you’re featured too.  I wouldn’t be here without you.”

She stopped and gave him a serious look, even if she was still smiling.  “You would have made it.  You have been determined to do this since before you ever met me, but I’m glad I got to be here and help.”  Neither of them said anything else as they finished cleaning up. 

They both had an early morning, so as soon as they were done cleaning, Kris made Zack sit and write.  He groaned, but she only reminded him the longer he took the later it would be.  He finally gave in.  There wasn’t much to his letter, but Kris knew it would be enough to make their parents happy. As soon as he was done, she put it with the keys so she could take it and drop it off on her way in.  That night, despite how worried she had been, Kris slept a dreamless sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

##  **Chapter 9**

Living alone took Kris some getting used to.  She had not had as much privacy since she woke up to Zack’s face so many years ago.  She quickly found she didn’t like it that much either.  There were many times that Zack got on her nerves, but it was more often that she found she had something she wanted to share and couldn’t because he wasn’t there.  Just getting to visit took a lot of coordination.  He had one day a week off, but it was always one of the days she had to work.

It took him some figuring out how to get time in the evenings a couple days a week just so he could keep her up to date with how things were going.  It helped that he managed to get a phone for them both.  His was a perk of working for Shinra, and he was able to get one for Kris at a discount since she was family.

It was during his first real visit that he gave her some exciting news.  They had just sat down to a home-cooked meal and Zack was trying to talk and eat at the same time.  Kris had to scold him about it twice.  The second time he swallowed and gave her a grin.  “I’m sorry, it’s just that I don’t have much time and I really wanted to share.”

She laughed at his enthusiasm, but still reprimanded him.  “Well, pick one or the other.  You eat fast enough that I shouldn’t need to see your food while you’re at it.”

He had taken another bite while she was talking but waited until he swallowed to answer.  “Fine, but you’ll never believe what I heard today!  I have good news!”

Kris didn’t need to do more than raise a brow before he launched into his tale.  “Well, I was talking to ‘Geal today, and he told me that it shouldn’t take much for me to make Second with how I made Soldier.  I need to go on a few missions with him and prove that I can keep my cool under pressure.  If I can, then we’ll be living it up in Sector 5!  Isn’t that great!”

Kris laughed again, but she nodded.  “Yes, I’ll admit that I miss your face.”

He chuckled at her but had already started eating again.  He was on his third helping, so she started cleaning her own stuff off the table.  When she came back for the rest, he glared at her.  “I’m not done yet!”

She laughed and backed up with her hands in the air.  “It’s all yours if you want it.  I promise not to touch it until you say it’s alright.”

He nodded once and started to take another bite but stopped and nearly started vibrating in his seat.  “Oh, oh, there was something else too.”

She shook her head at his enthusiasm.  Whatever it was, he was even more excited then he was about his other news.  She didn’t need to prompt him to continue.  “I ran into a couple of the guys that were in the group I tried out with.  I didn’t realize it, but most people that try out for Soldier have to go through a six-week class before they are given these brutal tests.  I don’t think any of those guys were accepted.  The two I talked with were in the infantry now.”

Kris sat back down and gave him a deadpan look.  “There was a reason I told you that you didn’t have anything to worry about.”

His eyebrows nearly went into his hairline.  “You knew that already!?”

She shook her head with a smile.  “No, but that does sound more like what I was expecting.  I have a feeling that since Commander Hewley took a personal interest in you that you were able to bypass all that.  I was convinced I was right when you told me it was the General that did your assessment.  I imagine that most of the time, he is too busy to be worried about a cadet.”

Zack’s food was all but forgotten as he looked at her with awe.  “Wow!  I hadn’t thought about it like that.  Does that mean I did even better than I thought I did?”

Kris stood again and ruffled his hair as she grabbed the empty dishes.  “I’m pretty sure it does, but don’t let it go to your head.  If you want to keep impressing them, you’ll need to stay focused.  The thing about going above and beyond is that you have to keep doing it if you want to get ahead.”

He glared at her for ruffling his hair, but it quickly melted into a grin.  “You don’t have to worry about me.  I got this.”

He stood and helped her clear the table before he looked at the clock.  He frowned at it and sighed as he turned around.  “I have to get back.  Thanks for dinner.”

She gave him a quick hug.  “You’re always welcome.  Let me know before you get sent on your first mission, okay?”

He gave her a mock salute as he dashed to the door.  “It’ll be done before you know it.”  She was still shaking her head at his boundless enthusiasm as she turned to finish cleaning.

* * *

 

As it turned out, his first mission was less than a week after that.  When he got back, he was so excited that he almost didn’t have time to eat.  He had to tell her all the details.  Luckily, it was a monster extermination mission.  He let her know that those would be the majority of his work for the time being.  That was a fact she wasn’t upset about.  Since they had come to Midgar, she had heard more about the war with Wutai, and she wasn’t sure she agreed with it.  That was an opinion that was in the minority, so she never shared it.  Especially not with Zack.  She knew her support meant a lot to him, and if he thought for a second that there was something he was doing that she couldn’t get behind, it would tear him up.

His next few missions didn’t come as quickly, but he was still out on the fourth one by a few weeks before their lease was up.  Kris hoped that they got good news when he got back because she didn’t think her landlord would let them lease it a month at a time.  She was sure that it would work out one way or another, but it would be nice to not have to worry so much.  And she had plenty of time for that.  The three days that she worked were so busy that she barely managed to get home before she passed out.  The following Monday was always for recuperating, but then the rest of the week was boring.

She often found herself missing their days of travel.  She tried to force herself to remember that it was always uncomfortable.  It was too hot or too cold or too wet or too dry.  They spent a lot of time working on smelly potions or fighting.  Even so, there was never any time for her to get bored, and more than that, she wasn’t alone.

She had tried to look for a second job on the days she had off, but she didn’t have much luck.  She was glad for the small amount that Zack was able to contribute.  She hated taking it, but it made sure that everything was paid, and she even was able to put aside a little in case of emergencies.

She was cleaning the spotless apartment again for the second time that week when she was surprised by Zack.  She wasn’t expecting him back for another day.  He had a key still, so he didn’t even knock.  When she noticed he was wearing a different uniform, she jumped up and gave him a tackling hug.  He laughed and spun her a couple of times before he put her back down.  She was almost as excited as he was when she spoke.  “Does this mean what I think it does?”

He nodded and laughed again.  “Yup.  This is my new official Soldier Second Class uniform!”

She walked around him once before she gave him a curious look.  “I thought that Seconds wore burgundy uniforms?”

As impossible as she thought it was, his grin got wider.  “They do.”

Kris nearly fell over; she was so surprised.  “That isn’t a First’s uniform either though, is it?  I mean, I thought theirs were black?”

He nodded without losing his smile.  When he didn’t say anything right away, she pushed his arm.  “Come on, you can’t keep it secret.  Unless of course you tried washing the regular one and it’s that color because you messed it up.  I wouldn’t want to share if that was the case either.”

He frowned at her jab and huffed slightly when he crossed his arms.  “Like I would be so careless with my uniform.”

She raised a brow at him, and he shuffled slightly.  “All the uniforms are cleaned for us at the barracks.”

She tried to stifle her laugh at that.  “Fine, if that isn’t the case, then what gives?”

He was grinning again, and she was certain his chest puffed out a little.  “It’s purple because I am being mentored by one of the Firsts.  Normal Soldier Seconds do have burgundy, but since I’m special, I get a special uniform.”

She rolled her eyes at him and mumbled under her breath.  “Oh, you’re special, alright.”

It was his turn to push her arm.  “Hey, I heard that.  Don’t forget I have extra-sensitive hearing now.”

She laughed and gave him another hug.  “I’m only teasing.  That’s awesome!  So, do you have any new responsibilities?

He nodded as they both sat at the table.  “Yeah, ‘Geal says he wants me to go on a few more missions with him, but he’s going to let me lead.  He’s just gonna help if I need it.  After he’s comfortable letting me lead, then I’ll be taking solo missions mostly.  He said I may have to take a few where I am commanding a small company, but those will be few and far between.”

She squeezed his arm as she got up to get them a snack.  “That’s awesome.  I’m proud of you.  Did you write mom and dad yet?”

He rolled his eyes, but she didn’t have to reprimand him.  He saw the look she was giving him and held up his hands.  “I just got back and got my uniforms.  I’ll write tonight.”  He barely waited to attack the leftovers she put down for him and had to swallow before he spoke again.  “Oh, by the way, I have already talked to Angeal about moving.  He was shocked that I wanted to move out of the barracks so soon, but he said it wouldn’t be a problem to get a place.  There is only one set of apartments, and that is mostly Turks and single people.  He said there are houses that we should be able to afford that have two bedrooms.  I can get you the authorization letter and the addresses if you want to check it out on your days off.”

She shook her head at how fast he was inhaling the food.  “Don’t choke now.”  He glared slightly but slowed a little.  He didn’t stop, though.  She laughed before she finally answered.  “The sooner you can get that to me, the better.  It’s down to the wire, and the landlord has been pushing us to either sign a new lease or give our notice.  I don’t think he’s going to be happy that he’ll only have a couple of weeks to find a new renter.  At least we should be able to move as soon as we find a place.”

Zack managed to stop long enough to answer.  “I can probably bring it tomorrow night.  I don’t think I’ll be able to stay for dinner, though.

Kris shook her head.  “It’s ok.  I’ll make sure you have something to take with you.   Unless you think it might cause problems with your bunkmates.”

He gave her a look that clearly showed that he felt she had lost her mind.  “They won’t even know I had it.”

She nearly doubled over laughing.  “Okay, okay.  I’ll make sure it’s something you can eat while you’re walking.”

His excitement at the prospect of another fresh meal the following day had Zack in a good mood until he had to leave.  He gave her a hug and a promise to have the paperwork to her the next day.

Once he was gone, Kris sighed.  She was glad that they would be back in the same apartment soon, but she now had a lot more to worry about.  Not the least of which was that she had to figure out how she was going to get to Mr. Alexandros’ shop on time after she moved.

* * *

 

The next two weeks were a whirlwind for Kris.  She had known that Mr. Liksan, their landlord, was not going to be happy when she told him they were moving, and she had been correct.  It took all she had not to lose her temper and punch the man when he got up in her face and started yelling about how much money they cost him.  In the end, she had to point out that they weren’t breaking the lease, so he had nothing to complain about.  She had a feeling that they wouldn’t be getting the deposit back no matter the state of the apartment, so she didn’t count on it.

It was just as crazy for Zack.  He was sent on another mission two days after his promotion that was expected to take at least a week.  He had to go to Junon.  Luckily, he had managed to get the paperwork to her as promised.  Although she felt it was just as much about getting another meal before he left as it was about getting her the paperwork.  At least she could always count on him being consistent. 

As much as Kris was looking forward to having her exuberant brother around more often again, she realized that it was never going to be the same.  He was going to be gone a lot, and she would likely be working during most of his downtime.  She really missed sparring with him, but she knew he was already living his dream and loving every minute of it, so she just had to deal with it.  At least it was getting better than it had been for the last six months.

She also was not happy about the whole moving process.  She managed to get the boxes she needed from work to get everything packed up but moving them was a different matter altogether.  She managed to catch a lucky break when she told Mr. Alexandros about the move.  She hadn’t needed to take any days off since she had most of the week free, but she did need to tell him because she didn’t want him caught off guard if she was late due to not judging the time correctly.  It would take her a lot longer to get to work coming from Sector 5.  At least it wasn’t all the way on the other side of the city.

When she told him what was going on, the first thing he did was tell her to give Zack his congratulations.  Even though he rarely got to see Zack, the young man had made a lasting impression.  It didn’t hurt that Kris talked about him a lot as well.

The second thing he did was ask her if she had anyone to help her move.  She almost groaned when she was reminded that she still had to figure out how to move everything from one place to another.  It wasn’t like she could carry it on the train.  She was more than grateful when he suggested contacting the company that delivered the furniture from the store to customers.  He didn’t have deliveries all the time, so he contracted with a separate company to do the moving.  Kris gave the man a hug at the suggestion.  He set up a meeting with them, and although it took a big chunk out of their savings, Kris was able to work out a day for them to come and get everything.

That was the hardest part but finding a place to move to wasn’t easy either.  It took her several days to find a place they could afford.  She was beginning to believe that Commander Hewley was too far out of touch, as most of the houses were both way too large and way too much.  The woman that was showing her the different houses must have thought they were starting a family because no matter how often Kris told her they only needed two rooms, she kept showing her homes that could fit a family of five.

Finally, Kris had to bluntly tell her that she would be living with her brother.  They needed enough room for privacy, but that was it.  The woman looked both relieved and still embarrassed.  At that point, Kris realized she must have already heard of Zack.  It wasn’t surprising as quickly as he moved up, and the woman was a Shinra employee.  She still wanted to roll her eyes at the older woman.  She shuddered when she imagined what the woman must have been thinking.

Once she made that clear, she finally found a place they could afford.  It wasn’t much.  The yard barely qualified for the name, but the place was clean and close to the train station.  It was good enough.

Zack had managed to return and get a day off for the move.  It was a long day for all of them, even with the men from the transport company.  They didn’t have a lot as far as personal items were concerned, but in the six months they had been in Midgar, they had managed to accrue enough furniture that they wouldn’t need anything.  They also had all the things that were necessary for living, like toiletries and cookware.  They were set already, but everything had to be moved.  Kris found herself wishing more than once that they could just leave it all and start over.  She then reminded herself she couldn’t afford to even think like that.

By the end of the day, both siblings were exhausted.  Zack even passed out on the couch once they had it in place.  Kris was almost tempted to do the same, but she knew she couldn’t let him be late getting back.  She puttered around and made sure nothing was left behind before she woke him.  He was not happy about it but made his way back to the barracks anyway.  He would be moving in during the coming weekend.  It wasn’t that he had much to move, but it was an official thing.

Once he left Kris didn’t bother doing more than pulling some sheets from a box and tossing them on the bed.  She didn’t bother making it before she collapsed onto it.  Unpacking could wait.

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now things really start to get interesting :) It's still the year before the events in Crisis Core get started, but there is lots to accomplish too. I hope you enjoy!

##  **Chapter 10**

After Zack moved back in, things were better but still incredibly busy for at least one of the siblings.  Kris was glad to have Zack back, but she had been right to suspect that it wouldn’t be the same.  It often happened that he was gone for days at a time on missions.  She hadn’t wanted to bring him down with her growing restlessness, because every time he came back, he held more and more confidence in himself and where he was going.  From what she garnered from his tales; he really was going somewhere too.  She was sure that he would be the next First.  That was nearly an unimaginable prospect for most Soldiers, so it made her incredibly proud that her brother even had the potential to have the chance.  Still, it was growing harder for her each day not to have anything as an outlet for her own growing frustrations.  Work barely counted as it was routine.  It was tiring, but far from challenging.  Plus, it was only three days a week.

It had been nearly two months since they had moved into Sector 5 and Zack had finally been sent on his first solo mission.  He had called her the day before and told her he was on his way back, so she expected him sometime that evening.  As a special treat for his first ever solo mission, she was busy making fajitas.  It was about the only thing she could do for him now, and she hoped he understood that she was still with him, even if her role in his day to day life had diminished. 

She had barely started cutting up the meat before she was interrupted by a knock at the door.  She frowned, since she doubted Zack would have had to knock.  Even if he had forgotten his key and needed to be let in, she doubted his knock would have sounded like that.  She opened the door warily but was frozen in shock at the sight that greeted her.  Apparently, her visitors weren’t any less surprised to see her.  She was the first one to recover though, and she gave them each a nod.  “Commander Hewley, Commander Rhapsodos, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

At her request, both men looked slightly uncomfortable, but it was Angeal that spoke.  “I apologize, we must have gotten the wrong address.”

Kris furrowed her brow and spoke before they could turn to leave.  “If you are looking for Zack, he isn’t back yet.  Or if he is, then he probably stopped off at headquarters first.  I am expecting him back any time now, though.  I am sure he knows I’ll have something cooked and I doubt he would be late for a meal.”

Both men looked even more shocked at that then they had when she first opened the door.  It was Genesis that spoke up first.  “I wasn’t aware the Puppy was mature enough for this.”

Angeal shot him a stern look, but Kris just looked confused.  At least until understanding finally dawned on her and she gave him a strange look.  “Zack’s my brother.  Surely, he told you that he was living with his sister, did he not?”

She watched as understanding lit in Angeal’s eyes, but she didn’t notice the look Genesis was giving her.  Angeal gave her a chagrined look.  “Yes, he did mention that he had a sibling here with him.”

Kris’ eyes narrowed as her heart gave a little lurch.  From their surprise and what Commander Hewley just said, she had to assume that Zack had never mentioned her gender.  It only took her a moment to push it back.  She severely doubted it was because he was ashamed.  More than likely, he felt that he was protecting her somehow.  She managed a smile before she spoke again.  “Well, I apologize if this is a shock.”  She then took a step back and opened the door wider.  “The two of you are more than welcome to come in and wait if you would like.  We don’t have much, but I can offer you a drink or something.”

Angeal was getting ready to decline the offer, as he didn’t want to get in the way, but before he could speak, Genesis did.  “Thank you.  Your hospitality is gracious and appreciated.”  Angeal shot his friend a hard look that he knew was noticed, but still utterly ignored as they followed the petite brunette into the small house.

Kris paused awkwardly in the tiny living room for a moment.  She knew it would be polite to sit with them, but there just wasn’t a lot of room.  Plus, she had been in the middle of cooking.  She finally decided what to do and turned to them both.  “Would you mind joining me in the kitchen?  I know the whole place is a little on the small side, but I’d be happy to keep you company while I finish cooking.”

Genesis gave her a slight bow and his best charming smile.  “Please do not feel the need to keep up entertained.  I am aware that we did interrupt.”

Kris suddenly felt slightly hot and realized her face probably showed it.  She quickly turned to hide it and headed to the kitchen.  “It’s no problem.  I have been known to multitask a time or two.”

The two men followed her into the tiny kitchen/dining room and took seats at the small table.  Angeal gave Genesis another pointed look, but his friend continued to ignore it.  Angeal repressed a sigh as he realized he was going to have to have a talk with him when they left. 

Kris hadn’t waited for them to sit before she poked her head in the refrigerator.  It was only partially to see what they had to offer.  The rest was a hope that it would cool her heated cheeks.  After a moment, she stood with a slight frown.  She managed to control it when she turned to her guests.  “Commanders, I’m afraid we don’t have much selection.  If you don’t want water, I would be happy to make some tea or coffee.”

Angeal spoke before Genesis could start again.  “Water is fine.”

She gave him a nod and turned to the cabinets.  She poured them both a cup and set them on the table.  When she caught sight of Genesis watching her again, she had to turn away.  It was at that point that she remembered that she knew their names, but had completely forgotten to give her own.  She stood and took a step back.  “I apologize for my bad manners.  I completely forgot that you don’t even know my name.  At least I assume that given your reactions when I answered the door.”

Angeal frowned when Genesis gave her another of his charming smiles.  “Think nothing of it.  I am sure you were just as surprised as we were.”

Kris bit the inside of her cheek as she gave him a nod.  She had never been as affected by another person’s smile as she was right now, and it was embarrassing.  The man was a stranger, even if she did know who he was.  It only took her a moment to find her voice, though.  “Thank you.  I’m Kris Fair.  It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

They both shook her hand when it was offered, but Genesis held her hand a touch longer than was necessary.  She ended up pulling it back, just to keep from making a fool of herself.  The man was far too attractive to be real, and his smile should be made illegal.  She buried those thoughts when he raised a brow and spoke.

“Kris is an unusual name.  I don’t think I have ever heard it applied to a woman.”

She laughed at his question.  It wasn’t the first time she had heard it, but she couldn’t imagine using another.  She still tried to explain.  “It’s actually short for Kristobel.”

His smile widened again before he spoke.  “That is a lovely name and far more suited to you.”

She felt her cheeks heat again and tried to look at anything but the two men.  She had barely met the man, and she already swore he was going to be the death of her.  Sure, she had a few customers that had tried to ask her out, and when they were with the caravan some of the hired hands had flirted with her occasionally, but she had never thought twice about it.  She either politely declined or took it as a joke.  This time was a whole other story, and she had no idea how to handle it.

As she was looking around, she spotted the meal she had been interrupted from and felt a profound sense of relief as she pointed towards the ingredients.  “I hope you don’t mind, but I do need to get this finished.  I would be happy to help if you need anything else, though.”

Again, Angeal could tell the girl was upset by Genesis being his usual overwhelming self, so he quickly spoke before his friend could push further.  “Don’t let us keep you from what you were doing.  We’re just fine waiting here.”

She gave him a nod and a grateful smile as she turned to pick up where she left off.  It was only a few minutes before she felt one of them step closer, and she turned to see Genesis was looking over her shoulder with a curious look.  “What are you making?  I don’t think I have ever seen anything like it.”

Despite his proximity, she was able to give him a genuine smile.  “It’s called fajitas.  It’s Zack’s favorite food.  After mom’s cake, of course.  Since I’m no good with baking, this will have to do.”

Angeal grinned at her.  “So, this is a celebration?”

She nodded back.  “Sort of.  It’s his first solo mission.  Might as well make the most of the successes we accomplish.”

Angeal gave her an approving look, but she was once again distracted by Genesis.  He had moved back to the table, but he turned to her with a frown.  “If you are the Puppy’s sister, does that mean you are the one that taught him how to use staves?”

She paused what she was doing and turned to him in surprise, but she hesitated and gave him a confused look.  “Are you calling Zack a puppy?”

Angeal stood and raised a hand before Genesis could answer.  “It’s just a nickname.  I happened to tell him one day that my new trainee was as excitable as a puppy.  I didn’t mean anything bad of course, but it sort of… stuck.”

Kris was trying very hard not to laugh.  She was absolutely positive that Zack didn’t appreciate the comparison, but she could understand what Commander Hewley was talking about.  Still, she wasn’t going to admit that out loud.  She gave him a smile to let him know she wasn’t upset before she spoke.  “It was just unexpected.  Don’t worry about it.  As for your question, Commander Rhapsodos, yes.  I am the one that taught him how to fight with a staff.”

Angeal gave her a surprised look.  “He told me he had only managed to beat you twice, and he admitted that he felt both were only due to sheer luck.”

She laughed and shook her head.  “Well, we haven’t sparred since he started training with you so I doubt that it’s still true, but before we got to Midgar, no he couldn’t beat me.”

Genesis gave her a shocked look and took a step back before his gaze turned evaluating.  Kris suddenly wished that she was anywhere else.  Luckily for her, they were interrupted before the Commander could ask whatever was brewing behind that look.  All three of them turned toward the doorway when the door closed loudly, and a voice yelled from the other room. 

“Kris!  Is that fajitas a smell?  Please tell me you’re making fajitas.”

She laughed at his excitement and called out.  “I’m in the kitchen.”

Zack had barely taken the time to remove his shoes before he made a beeline for the kitchen.  “Oh Gaia, you know I am so thankful I convinced-“

Whatever he had been about to say was cut off when he entered the small kitchen and caught sight of the two extra occupants.  His attention was drawn by Kris.  “As you can see, we have guests.  Why don’t you clean up and then we can all have dinner?”  She paused and looked to their guests.  “If you would like to stay, that is.”

Angeal was torn.  He didn’t want to bother their family moment, especially with the way Genesis was acting, but he also knew it would look strange if they left when Zack finally got home.  The choice was taken from him when Genesis spoke.  “We would not like to overtax you, but if you are certain, then it would be a pleasure.”

Zack was still frozen in shock and staring in growing horror at his commanding officers sitting in his dining room.  He was broken from it when Kris snapped her fingers in front of his face.  “Earth to Zack.  You can sleep after we eat.  I went to a lot of trouble to get good ingredients.  Now go clean up.”

He shook his head, and his eyes were still wide when he looked down to her.  He swallowed his questions when he saw her face and gave her a nod.  “I’ll be right back.”

Kris blushed slightly when she turned to see the two men looking between her and the door where Zack had just disappeared.  She ignored it as she turned back to what she was doing.  She spoke over her shoulder.  “This won’t take much longer.  By the time Zack is done, it’ll be ready.”  Neither man spoke again, and she wasn’t upset at all. 

When they all sat down to eat, the atmosphere was awkward.  No one spoke much, other than to compliment the cooking.  Kris was slightly upset for Zack’s sake since it was supposed to be a celebration for him, but she hadn’t been able to turn away his commanders.  She felt that would have been rude.  She was very thankful when Angeal started congratulating Zack and talking a bit about his recent mission.  Zack finally relaxed at that point and started enjoying the retelling.  Kris smiled at the sight.  This was precisely why she was happy to have followed him.

Kris was interrupted from watching her brother by Genesis’ low voice.  He took the opportunity while the other two were busy to speak to her directly.  “I find it incredibly interesting that you were able to teach your brother the skills that got him into Soldier, and yet you did not go to work for Shinra yourself.  Why is that?”

His question was enough to distract her from her growing embarrassment in his presence.  Her brows furrowed for a moment before she shrugged.  “I never really thought about it.  I found a job in Sector 7 not long after we got here, and the owner of the shop relies on me heavily.  I would feel bad if I left him now.”

He gave her another evaluating look before he spoke.  “And what do you do at this shop that makes you so invaluable?”

Kris wasn’t certain if he was poking fun or if he really wanted to know, but she chose to believe he wouldn’t be such an asshole after the way he had been acting.  At least she hoped not.  “Everything.  At least all but the heavy lifting.  We hire a team of movers for that.  I handle the customers, the books, the inventory and ordering.  You name it, I probably handle it.”

Genesis’ surprise was evident when he spoke again.  “And what does the shop owner do?”

She laughed lightly at his shock.  “He was going to retire and close the shop before I started.  Now, he comes in a couple of times a day to help during the busiest hours and leaves the rest to me.  That’s the main reason why I don’t want to leave.”

He sat back at that point and raised a brow.  “Well, it certainly sounds as if it keeps you busy.  I am surprised you have time for anything else.”

She looked away with a shrug.  She knew he was just making polite conversation, but her hours were still a sore spot.  She tried not to let her upset show in her voice.  “If it were more than three days a week, I doubt I would be able to handle it without help.  As it is, my weekends are long and hard, but I have most of the week to recover, so it isn’t bad.”

He didn’t say anything right away, but when she looked back to him, she was surprised by the look in his eyes.  She wasn’t sure what it meant.  His next words didn’t help to resolve it either.  “Well, if you ever do decide to look for another job, even a part-time one, I am certain you would be welcomed in Shinra.”

She wanted to shake her head.  Why had he said that?  He didn’t know her.  She couldn’t hide her curiosity, even if she didn’t ask directly.  “I’m honoured that you think so.  Especially since you don’t really know me.”

His smile widened into a grin at her unspoken question.  Although he didn’t answer it.  “Well, that is something that I would like to remedy if you are unopposed to the idea.”

Kris found that she was unable to speak for several seconds.  She was sure that she had misunderstood him.  She felt her face heat when she finally answered, even if she tried to fight it.  “Um, I don’t know what to say.”

Thankfully, that line of questioning was interrupted by Angeal.  Kris turned to the other two and found them both glaring at Genesis.  She hoped they weren’t giving him such dirty looks because they had overheard the conversation.  Although, she doubted it was for any other reason.  She really wished she could disappear when Angeal spoke.

“Thank you for allowing us to stay for dinner, but I believe it is time for us to leave.  We still have things to get back to.”

Kris stood and shook both their hands again.  “It was my pleasure.  Please do not feel like you interrupted anything.  I am certain Zack enjoyed your company, and you are welcome back anytime.”

Kris tried her best to ignore Genesis’ widening smile and tried to focus on Angeal when he gave her a nod.  “Thank you.  I might actually see about getting that recipe from you sometime.  I like to cook when I can, and that was something I have never tried before.”

She was thankful to have something else to focus on and gave him a nod.  “Of course.  If you would like, I can write it down and send it with Zack sometime soon.”

He gave her a grateful nod before he turned to walk out the door.  He was stopped by Genesis.  “Kristobel, I wanted to ask if you would like to try your martial skills against me sometime soon?”

Her brows drew down in confusion, and she took a moment to respond.  Neither of them noticed the renewed glares from the other two.  “It has been months since I have had a proper spar.  I have tried to exercise here, but as you can see, we don’t have a lot of room.  I doubt that I could give you an interesting challenge.”

Genesis shook his head with a smile.  “Nonsense.  If the- if Zack was unable to beat you prior to his joining Soldier, then I am sure a little downtime would not have diminished your skills that much.  I know I will not be able to use my full strength, but it would be interesting to see your talents.  I promise that I would enjoy it.”

Kris could feel her face heating again, but she ignored it.  “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.  I am available most of the days throughout the week.  I would only ask that it not be on a Monday.”

He nodded.  “I should be available next Tuesday.  If that works, I look forward to seeing you at 13:00.”

Kris wasn’t sure if she was more shocked at the fact that she had just agreed to spar with a First-Class Soldier, or at his manner of pushing until he got what he wanted.  She shook her head, and her voice showed how distracted she was when she answered.  “Tuesday then.”

At that point, Angeal stepped in and gave their goodbyes before he led Genesis outside.  Genesis pulled away long enough to turn back and bow slightly.  “Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return.”

Kris heard him but barely made a move as Angeal turned them both to leave.  She didn’t notice how forceful he was while doing it either.  She was too distracted.  She was pulled from her reverie when Zack turned to her with a frown.  “I don’t know what he’s up to but be careful.”

She shook her head.  “Don’t worry.  I doubt he would use enough of his strength to hurt me.  Plus, we both know that I probably won’t last long.  I’ll just do my best to keep from getting hit.”

Zack’s frown grew deeper.  “That’s not what I’m talking about.  I mean, that too, but I saw the way he looked at you.  I have heard he’s a lady’s man and I don’t want him using you.”

Kris could feel her blush, but she ignored it while she glared back.  “I appreciate your concern, really, but I’m an adult.  I think I can judge for myself if I’m being used.”  Her frown disappeared, and she tried to smile.  “Besides, I doubt that’s really what this is about.  Even if what you say is true then I’m sure he’ll get bored.  I’m probably just a novelty because he doesn’t know me.  Don’t worry.”  Zack didn’t look convinced, but he let it slide as Kris changed the subject to his recent mission.  He quickly got lost in a retelling again.

* * *

 

Once they left the street where the siblings lived, Angeal turned to Genesis with a frown.  “You need to call off the spar.  Make some sort of excuse and then leave her alone.”

Genesis shot a frown at his friend.  “Why would I do that.  I am genuinely interested in seeing her skill level.  She is so tiny that it is hard to picture her even being able to beat your protégé.”

Angeal shook his head.  “That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it.  She is Zack’s sister.  You can’t play with her until you get bored and then throw her away like every other woman that catches your eye.”

Genesis glare deepened, and his voice dropped into a cold tone.  “I am well aware that she is related to the Puppy.  It is hard for me to imagine, as they are so different, but it did not escape my notice.  It is not my intention to ‘use’ her.  I would simply like the opportunity to get to know her better.  That is not a crime.”

Angeal sighed.  He knew when his friend got into one of these moods, there would be no dissuading him.  Still, he gave him a hard look.  “Fine.  But if I think for a moment you are playing with her affections at all, don’t think I won’t warn her.  The last thing I want is to be stuck in the middle when you decide you’re done.”

Genesis scoffed.  “She looked like an adult to me.  I am sure she can make her own decisions.  Besides, I have already told you that I have no ulterior motives.”

Angeal shook his head again but gave up on arguing any more for the moment. It was pointless.  He would wait and see how their next meeting went and decide afterwards if he would caution the girl or not.  Given the way Zack was glaring, he was sure she had already been warned off.  Only time would tell which way this would go.  He didn’t like the idea, though.


	11. Chapter 11

##  **Chapter 11**

The day after the unexpected visit of the two Firsts was a Friday, so Kris had very little time to worry about what was coming.  It also meant that she and Zack hadn’t had much time to talk about it further.  There was a tenseness between them the few times that Zack brought it up, but Kris reminded herself it was only because he cared.  She was just thankful that she was too busy to worry about it much.

When Tuesday morning came.  Zack took a few extra minutes before he left to try to convince her to change her mind.  She had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes, and she reminded him it was just a spar.  He hadn’t looked convinced, but he let it drop with a promise that he would see her that afternoon.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t nervous.  After having had a few days to analyse the dinner and all of the Commander’s actions, she wasn’t sure what to think.  She couldn’t bring herself to believe the man was really flirting with her, even if it seemed that way.  He was famous enough that not a lot of what he did was private. From everything she had heard of him, she was as far from the man’s tastes as a woman could be.  She wasn’t a socialite or a Loveless Avenue starlet.  Still, it was hard to convince herself that it was just the way he was.

It was made worse by his unusual invitation.  It wasn’t like he had randomly asked her on a date.  The man asked to fight her.  It was weird, and she had no idea what to make of it.  She was still confused as she finally left for the Shinra Headquarters.  To her surprise, though, her confusion and trepidation were mixed with excitement.  She hadn’t sparred in so long that she was looking forward to it.  Even if there was little chance she would do more than make a fool of herself.

When she arrived on the Soldier floor, she was greeted by the sight of Genesis waiting for her.  She wasn’t sure if she was surprised or not.  His smile had her fighting a blush again, and in her efforts to contain it, she barely heard him as he greeted her.  She hoped her mumbled response was good enough as she followed him to wherever they would be sparring.

He led her down several hallways before he stopped outside of a set of double doors and turned to her with another smile.  “I can take your coat if you would like.”

Since it was still early December, the weather had finally dropped into colder temperatures, and Kris had walked to the building, so her coat had been necessary.  She was still confused by his behaviour, but she didn’t see a reason to deny him.  She slipped the jacket off and handed it to him before he opened the door. 

She didn’t notice the fact that he had stopped and was staring at her as she entered since her attention was immediately drawn across the room.  In a set of small bleachers, there were no less than a dozen men in various blue and burgundy uniforms, with Zack in the front.  He was grinning at her as she walked over, but his eyes widened when he caught sight of her grin.  It was the one she reserved for telling him off in front of others, and he took an unconscious step back.

When she drew even with him, she dropped her voice to the point that she hoped none of the rest of the Soldiers would be able to hear.  “What is this?”

Zack shuffled his feet and scratched the back of his head before he gave her a weak grin.  “Well, you see, I told a couple of my friends about the match, Luxiere and Kunsel, and a couple of others overheard, and well, I guess they all thought it would be interesting to see.”

He had pointed to two others in burgundy while he spoke.  They both stood and removed their helmets before they approached.  She accepted their greetings with a resigned smile.  She didn’t fault them, as she was sure this was unusual.  She shook her head at her brother’s hopeful look.  “Fine.  Just promise not to laugh too hard when I’m knocked on my ass.”

When Zack realized he was off the hook, he grinned at her.  “I doubt that will happen, but if it does, I promise not to laugh.  At least not right away.”

Kris rolled her eyes at him before she turned back.  She was surprised to find Genesis was still standing next to the door.  She felt her cheeks start to heat slightly as he watched her walk back to him, but she shoved the feeling down as she approached.  “What now?”

It took him several seconds to reply, and Kris almost wanted to fidget.  She managed to keep from it, barely.  Her nerves were not improved when he finally spoke.

“You do realize your clothes are completely distracting?”

She looked down and then back up in confusion.  She had picked clothes that would be easy to move in, but the stretchy material clung close to her skin.  When she finally realized what he meant by his comment, she couldn’t hide the heat in her cheeks, but she still gave him a grin.  She wasn’t sure what his game was, but that didn’t mean she had plans of losing.  “That was not my intention, but I suppose I will take any advantage I can get.”

At that point, she turned to the weapons racks to look for a staff that she felt she could use.  She hadn’t brought her own because she didn’t want to be harassed for carrying a weapon into the Shinra Headquarters.  When she finally found one that she felt was well balanced, she turned back to see Genesis had also chosen to pick a practice weapon instead of using his own sword.  She hadn’t thought about it before that point, but she was glad.  Hopefully, it meant that the worst she had to worry about would be bruises.

Once they both had their weapons, Kris followed Genesis to a cleared area in the middle of the room.  When they faced each other, all chattering stopped.  Genesis gave her a bow with his hand over his heart before he spoke.  “I will hold back my strength, but please do not feel the need to restrain yourself.  I look forward to what you can do.”

Kris had been nervous when silence descended, but she cleared her mind.  This would not be like sparring with Zack.  This would be more like fighting monsters, and she had to treat it the same.  When Genesis spoke, she raised a brow at his presumptuousness and grinned despite herself.  “Don’t worry about me.  I’ve had worse odds before.”

She didn’t know where her trash talk was coming from as she was sure he would wipe the floor with her, but she couldn’t stand the way he hadn’t lost his grin.  He knew he was going to win, and she agreed.  She understood his arrogance to a point, but his attitude irked her.

At that point, Genesis took a step back, and Kris crouched slightly with the staff to her side.  She tensed for whatever move he would make, as she didn’t plan on being the first to move.  It didn’t take long for him to lunge at her with a swipe.  Her heart sped up, but she didn’t let fear take her.  She focused on the sword and its wielder and ducked away.  It passed close to her face, and she had to swallow.

At first, she wondered if his aim was due to regularly fighting much larger men.  If that were the case, his strike would be around chest high for them and that made sense.  After the third time she ducked, though, she realized he was either aiming for her face or trying to herd her somewhere.  She wasn’t interested in finding out either way.  When he swung again, she ducked backwards and allowed the momentum to guide her into a backflip.  She used the motion to kick his arm aside and nearly kick his chin.  He had to jump back to avoid it.

She flipped once more before she came up into a crouch.  She grinned at the surprised look he shot her.  After that, he started to change up his strikes.  She was effortlessly able to avoid them.  If he struck low, she jumped and used his lowered arms as an opportunity to strike at his head.  If he aimed high, she would jab at his abdomen.  Neither of them had connected yet.  That fact surprised Kris, but if his face was anything to go by, it surprised Genesis more.

That thought had her grinning again.  When he caught sight of it, his face transformed into a blank mask.  She knew it was probably unwise to continue to provoke him, but her grin widened.  She was having far more fun than she expected to.  After several more minutes, Kris could feel herself starting to tire.  It had been a long time since she had such a workout, and she knew that with Genesis’ Soldier enhancements, it was only a matter of time before she ended up getting hit.  She decided that if she were going out, she would do it with a bang.

She waited until he struck at her legs again.  She then jumped and feinted towards his face with a jab.  He brought his sword up to block and turned his head to the side to avoid the strike.  She took advantage of that and dropped into a roll, away from the direction he was facing.  She came up behind him.  She knew she only had a split second before he turned, so she sprinted toward a nearby bench and used it to launch herself into to air.  Her staff whistled as it came down.  Genesis turned just in time to see the long piece of metal coming straight for him.  For the first time during their spar, he was forced to use all his speed to avoid getting hit.  When he brought his sword up to block the blow, he instinctively used his other hand to push her back.  Since she was still midair, the strike caused her to go flying, and she struck the wall with a loud thud before she fell.

Everyone in the room froze at the sight of her body hitting the floor.  Their shock was broken at her first groan.  At that point, both Zack and Genesis raced to check on her.  It was a tie as to which one was moving faster.  Neither of them made it to her before she pushed herself up with a groan.  By the time they made it to her, she was almost on her feet again.  Even though she was obviously in pain, she still managed to give the Commander a grin.  His eyes widened at the sight.  It was the last thing he expected.  He knew he had not withheld his strength when he should have, so he wouldn’t be surprised if she were cradling broken ribs.  The fact that she wasn’t angry or scared had him floored.

They were both pulled from their stare by Zack’s angry voice.  He was helping her to a nearby bench so she could sit and be examined, but his ire was pointed to his commanding officer.  In his worry, all thoughts of the chain of command had gone out the window.  “What were you thinking!  You could have killed her with a blow like that.  She isn’t enhanced!”

Genesis didn’t show it, but he could feel the squirm of guilt in his gut.  Despite his assurances that he would not hurt her, the Puppy was correct.  He could have done more damage than he had with that last blow.  Both males were surprised when Kris placed her hand on Zack’s arm to get his attention.  “Don’t get mad.  It’s my fault.  I was not holding back at all on that last blow.  If he had moved any slower, it is probable that I would have, at the very least, cracked his head open.”

Genesis still had not said anything.  From the beginning of the spar, it had been one surprise after another.  He was shocked to admit that not only was she more skilled than he had thought to give her credit for, but her assessment was correct as well.  Judging from the way he heard the weighted staff whistling, he doubted that even his enhancements could have saved him from injury.

He shook those thoughts off and knelt in front of her.  He ignored the glare he was getting from her brother as he held out his hand.  “If you do not object, I should be able to heal any of your injuries.”

She raised a brow at his offer.  She hadn’t expected it.  She thought she might have pissed him off with her last stunt.  She wasn’t going to decline though.  She was pretty sure a couple of her ribs were, at the very least, badly bruised.  She gave him a nod, and he moved to her side so he could better asses what had been done.  When he laid his gloved hand along her ribcage, she suddenly remembered that his proximity did strange things to her.  Luckily, her blush was all but forgotten when he started his healing spell.  The feeling of her ribs moving back into place and resetting made her want to vomit.  It didn’t take long thankfully.

Once he was finished, he held out a hand to help her to her feet.  She gingerly probed her ribs and was thankful to find they were only a little sore still.  She looked back up with a grin and was reminded that it was more than just the three of them in the room.  All the other Soldiers were staring at her.  She wasn’t sure if it was awe or appreciation, and she looked away from them with a blush.  She turned back to Genesis with a smile.  “Thank you.  Both for the exercise and the healing.  I am glad that I accepted your offer.”

Zack chose that moment to barge in again.  His voice was still halfway to dismayed.  “No!  You could have been hurt badly.  I can see it in your eyes.  Don’t even think about asking for a rematch!”

Kris looked a little abashed at the fact that he could see right through her, but it was Genesis that spoke.  His voice was full of surprise.  “You would want a rematch?  After I nearly crushed you?”

Kris looked away from them both and ran one hand up and down the opposite arm as she answered.  “Well, I was thinking about talking to you about it at least.”

She heard Zack give her a disgusted noise and she looked back at him with raised brows.  “It’s not like I enjoyed being flung across the room, but the spar was fun.  I don’t get a chance to use my skills any more at all, and surprisingly, I miss it.”

She regretted her words as soon as they were out of her mouth.  She had been trying to keep her brother from feeling that there was an issue when it was just her being bored.  She was surprised when he gave her an understanding look.  It still showed his worry, though.  “I understand.  Maybe I can work it out, and you can come spar with me sometime.”

Kris was aware of what he was trying to do and appreciated it, but she had a feeling it wouldn’t be the same.  Her brother was far too scared of hurting her to really push her; not now that he was enhanced.  She tried not to let that thought show when she grinned at him.  “That sounds like fun too.”

Zack shook his head.  He recognized there would be no changing her mind if the Commander agreed.  At least he was sure she was the most capable person he knew outside of Soldier.  He just didn’t like the idea of her spending any more time with the man.  He tried to smile when he spoke again.  “Okay.  I won’t keep on about it, but at least let me walk you home.  I’m sure you’re still sore.”

Before she had a chance to answer, Genesis spoke again.  “Before you leave, I would like to speak with you for a moment, please.”

Both siblings gave him a surprised look, but Zack’s quickly turned into a frown.  Before he could go on another rant, Kris put her hand on his arm.  “It’s okay.  I’m sure I’ll be fine going home alone if I rest for a few minutes.  I’ll see you tonight.”

Zack fervently wanted to object, but he knew his sister was one of the most stubborn people he had ever met.  Despite her smile, he could see a waiting reprimand in her eyes.  He sighed and shook his head.  “Alright.  Be careful going home and let me know when you get there please.”

Her smile widened, and she gave him a nod.  She was glad the rest of the Soldiers followed him out as well.  Although she was sure their conversation would be interesting.  She had a feeling she would be hearing about it later.  She tried to put that thought from her mind as she turned back to Genesis.  “What did you want to speak to me about?”

He was giving her an evaluating look when she turned to him.  “You are not at all what I expected.”

She snorted at his assessment.  “Really?  I would never have guessed that.  Given how you were strutting before the match, I am sure you felt I would fall over at the first blow.”

His evaluation turned into shock at her sharp retort.  After their first meeting, he expected her to be the shy and docile type, especially since she blushed every time he got close or smiled.  Her sarcasm was as surprising as her skill had been.  He wasn’t quite sure how to take it at first.  Finally, he realized that he had already known on some level that she was not all that she seemed.  That was partially why he had asked her to spar.  When he smirked back at her, he could tell she was just as surprised as he had initially been.  He took a step closer before he spoke.  “I will admit that everything about you astonishes me.  Given that you are related to Angeal’s protégé, I expected less… sharpness.  However, I find that it only intrigues me more.” 

He took another step forward, and Kris had to fight the urge to take a step back as he continued.  “I would very much like a rematch, but more than that, I would like to ask you to join me for an evening out.”

Kris’ eyes widened at his request.  She had denied that this could be a possibility since he first said he wanted to get to know her.  Still, she shook her head and gave him a smirk.  “I apologize if this sounds rude Commander, but we both know I am far from your type.  I don’t have money or fame, and I’m not interested in a fling.”

His brow drew down at her response, but he quickly wiped it away.  She was proving to be more interesting than he expected.  “I can understand your reservations.  I will give my word that I have no ill intentions.  If you could give me one chance, I could prove it.”

She shook her head.  “It would be no problem for almost anyone to act a given way for one night to get something they wanted.  That wouldn’t prove much.”

His eyes widened again.  He was beginning to rethink his pursuit, but he caught sight of something in her eyes.  A spark of intelligence that he didn’t see often and found himself speaking again before he thought better of it.  “Then give me a month.  Surely, after that amount of time, you could see that I have no nefarious objectives.”

He was further shocked when she outright laughed.  He could still hear it in her voice when she answered.  “I tell you that one night won’t work and you ask for more instead?  What kind of sense does that make?”

Genesis frowned at that point.  He had never had a woman reject him so many times in a row.  He realized that if it had ever happened before, which it hadn't, that he would have walked away after the first rejection and promptly forgotten the woman.  He could not understand, for the life of him, why he was loath to do so now.  And he realized he was indeed unwilling to simply walk away and give up.  He shocked them both when he took a step back, and he gave her a smile that was neither feigned nor snarky.  “There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the Goddess.  I can understand why you are hesitant.  I am not unaware of how my reputation can be misunderstood.  Please at least think of letting me prove to you that I am not as I have been portrayed.  If you are willing, we could take it a day at a time, as only time would be able to show you my true intentions.”

He froze when something flitted through her gaze.  Her face had not changed, but she shifted subtly.  He could tell she was, at last, considering his words instead of dismissing them.

Kris was unsure how to take the Commander.  She had expected him to get pissed several times over at her continued rejections, but instead, he had continued to press on.  Part of her wanted to be annoyed at his inability to take no for an answer, but something in the way he was looking at her, led her to believe that he wasn’t lying.  At least not during his last request.  Also, it was taking all she had not to blush at the way he had looked at her while he was quoting Loveless.  She knew it was probably her imagination, but she really had felt beloved by the Goddess while he spoke.  She realized that she was going to say yes at that moment and had to repress a sigh.  She knew Zack was not going to like it.  At least she knew she was given an easy out.  She did sigh before she spoke, and she could tell he knew he had won as well.  Although she was surprised that he wasn’t smirking.  Instead, his smile had grown into something charming.  She shook her head at the sight.  “Fine.  I will agree as long as it is understood that I will not tolerate bullshit.  If I feel I am being led around, please expect to hear it from me.”

Genesis was almost desensitized to her bluntness, but only almost.  He shook his head with a smirk.  “I will take your words to heart.”  At that, he stepped forward and took her hand to place a kiss across her knuckles.  He smirked at the blush it caused.  “I would love the opportunity to walk you back.  Zack did have a point.”

Kris wasn’t quite sure how she felt about it, but she had said she would at least give him a chance.  There was no time like the present.  She gave him a nod and retrieved her jacket before she followed him out and toward the elevators.


	12. Chapter 12

##  **Chapter 12**

When they got to her house, she was thankful that Genesis couldn’t stay long.  He spent just enough time to exchange numbers with her before he bowed out with another Loveless quote.  That was going to take some getting used to if she decided not to call it off right away.  When she was alone, she headed to the shower.  Her thoughts were still in disarray when she was done.  She ended up trying to bake cookies just so she would have something to concentrate on besides her strange afternoon.

When Zack got home that night, he found her in the kitchen surrounded by several piles of cookies in various stages of burnt.  He raised a brow at her as she was sorting through a bowl of them and adding them to the different stacks.  “Uh, sis, are you okay?  Did something happen?”

Kris had not noticed him walk in, so she jumped a little before she turned to him with a nervous grin.  “Ah, not at all.”  She then pointed to two of the piles.  “Those two should be good to eat.  The one on the left is a tad burnt on the bottom, but still soft.  The rest of these, I’ll have to figure out something else.  Maybe I can make some sort of dessert with them.  I’ll research it a little.”

The hair on the back of Zack’s neck stood up as he looked around and took in the sheer number of inedible cookies.  Kris never tried to bake.  As good of a cook as she was, she could never manage baking.  The fact that she had obviously spent all afternoon trying had him even more worried.  He walked to her and gently took the bowl from her hands before he sat her down and took the nearest seat.  He gave her a concerned look.  “What’s going on?”

She tried to smile but ended up grimacing.  She sighed and looked away from him.  “Commander Rhapsodos ask me on a date.”

Zack was instantly up and pacing around the room.  She could hear him cursing under his breath, but she didn’t say anything.  She wanted him to get as much of it out of his system before she told him the rest.  She was surprised when he turned to her with a determined look.  “Let me talk to Angeal.  They’re friends.  I’ll have him convince Genesis to leave you alone.”

Kris sighed and stood again.  She shook her head and hoped her brother wouldn’t blow a fuse at what she was about to tell him.  “Actually, I agreed to at least give him a chance.  He is supposed to call me soon so we can make arrangements when we will both be off next.”

Zack was frozen with his mouth hanging open.  If it had been any other circumstances, Kris might have found it funny.  As it was, she could barely keep from nervously rearranging the cookies again.  When he finally closed his mouth, he gave her a glare.  “What were you thinking?  I told you sparring with him was a bad idea.  He has never dated a woman for more than two months.  Most don’t last that long.  He gets what he wants and then leaves!”

Kris clenched her jaw hard to keep from snapping back.  She knew he was only concerned, so she counted to ten before she was able to respond civilly.  “I know you’re worried, and I get why.  Really, I do, but I am capable of judging for myself what his intentions are.”

Zack turned away and paced the short length of the kitchen a few times before he turned back to her.  “Kris, I don’t want you to take this as if I don’t trust you, but I think you may be a little blinded here.  I saw the way he looked at you, but I also saw the way you looked at him.  I have never seen you give any man a second glance, most of the time you are oblivious to how many heads you turn.  You even have all my friends starstruck, but Commander Rhapsodos is the only one that you have ever noticed look at you that way.”

He sighed and took her by the arms.  He gave her a little shake and grinned at her.  “Maybe if you took a look around you at all the other men, you might find one that is far better for you.  Please?”

Kris looked away from his pleading eyes and had to push back an old feeling of self-doubt before she could answer.  “Zack, I think you’re biased.  Not every compliment means that someone is interested in me like that.  Besides, I doubt this is more than a passing fancy.  I just want to see for myself.  When things don’t go his way, I’m sure he’ll move on, and that will be that.  I’m sure you already know that I’m just not interested in getting intimate with anyone.  So, don’t worry.”

Zack blushed a deep crimson and took a step back.  He shook his head several times before he shot her a glare.  “Please don’t ever mention getting intimate again.  I don’t want to picture that.”

  She laughed at his reddened ears before she poked him in the ribs.  He jumped with a yelp and gave her another glare, but she could tell he was only trying to mask a grin.  She smiled and shook her head at him.  “I promise I will be alright.  Okay, little brother?”

Zack scoffed and grabbed her into a tight hug.  “Who’s the little one?”

At his jab, she latched onto his ribs again.  He started howling and trying to get away, but no matter how he moved, she was still right there.  When he finally gave up and fell into the nearest chair, she relented and grinned at him.  “No matter how much bigger you get, you will always be my little brother.”

He gave her a tired nod.  “Yeah, yeah.  At least I know I have family close by.”

She ruffled his hair before she turned to stare at the mess the kitchen was still in.  She shook her head and sighed.  “Hey, do you feel like going to get takeout?”

Zack had been grumbling about her ruffling his hair again while he tried to fix it, but at her suggestion, he looked up with interest.  “Can I pick the place?”

She laughed again.  “Sure, just don’t go to that burger place.  The last time I got slimy lettuce.”  She shuddered at the memory. 

Zack looked a little put-out, but he perked up quickly.  “Alright, I’ll be back in a little while.”  Kris waved him out while she tried to figure out what to do with the mountain of indigestible sweets.

* * *

 

Things between Kris and Zack had settled finally after their talk.  Mostly, the whole ordeal was just not talked about again between them, but it worked.  That was skewed slightly when Genesis shocked her by calling the next day during his lunch.  Kris almost didn’t answer, but she decided she couldn’t hide forever.  She tried not to sound nervous when she picked up.

Genesis’ voice was genial at her hello.  “Kristobel, I am glad that I was able to reach you.  I am aware that you work during the weekends, so I wanted to know if you would join me tomorrow night.  It would be a casual setting.  I will even invite Angeal and the Pu- I mean Zack, if it would ease your mind.”

Kris had to fight down a laugh.  She found it funny that the Commander was trying so hard, especially every time he caught himself calling Zack a puppy.  Even though she didn’t want to, she found it slightly endearing.  Still, she had to keep in mind that she didn’t know for sure what his motivation was.  Despite her best efforts, her voice carried her smile.  “Commander, I will admit that I am surprised to hear from you.  I’m even more surprised that you would be willing to see me in an environment that could be considered hostile.”

He scoffed.  “Dear, I am aware that your brother holds even less love for me than he did previously, and as we work together, things could become… sticky.  Still, some things are worth working harder for.”

She paused.  She wasn’t sure if he meant short term or long term and it made her worry.  She pushed her negative thoughts back.  She reminded herself that things were likely to fizzle out quickly anyway, and yet, she wanted to try.  It was a strange feeling.  She still managed to answer.  “Where did you want to meet?”

She thought he might have been upset at her delay, but she could hear his smirk.  She rolled her eyes at it.  “I will pick you up at 18:00.  There is a place in Sector 8 that is perfect.”

Despite her own warning to herself and Zack’s, she still felt her smile widen.  “Alright.  Is there any particular dress code?”

“Not at all, although I would recommend not wearing what you wore the last time I saw you.  I would hate to have to fight off other interested parties.”

She snorted.  “Whatever.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She rolled her eyes again when he responded.  She could just see him doing that little bow of his, and she had to bite her lip to keep from grinning at the thought.  “Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return.  I look forward to seeing you.”

“You too.”  Kris didn’t wait for any further response before she hung up.  She sat and stared at her phone for several minutes before she got up with a grin.  The rest of the afternoon, she would randomly catch herself smiling at nothing as she cleaned.  Every time she did, she would remind herself not to get carried away, and yet she still found herself smiling again later.

* * *

 

The following day, Kris was more nervous than she could ever remember being.  She didn’t have many clothes to begin with, and most of them were for work.  They were nice enough since she had to look professional in front of the customers, but none of them screamed ‘date’.  From the moment that Sarah had first helped her get clothes of her own, she had never owned a skirt, and she knew she wouldn’t wear one now, but all her pants were functional.  When she caught sight of everything she owned scattered across her bed, she sighed and realized she was overthinking it.  It was barely lunchtime anyway.

She forced herself to walk away for the time being and found a book that she had recently picked up.  She hoped it would be gripping enough to hold her interest.  She had barely been reading for half an hour before she was up.  She started to head for her room again but stopped and made a disgusted noise.  She mumbled to herself as she turned to sit back down.  “Why do I care anyway?  He either takes me like I am, or he leaves.  Period.”

Her admonition to herself seemed to work.  She made it through the third chapter before she looked up again.  The time was nearly 17:00 and she jumped up.  She had successfully been able to distract herself, but now she only had an hour before Genesis was supposed to be there.  She kept telling herself that it should be enough time, but she didn’t want to take the chance that he would be early, and she not be ready.

She ended up picking her best pair of pants and a thin mock turtleneck sweater.  She never wore much makeup, but she did own a little for work.  She quickly put on a touch of blush and lipstick and at the last minute decided that some mascara would be okay.  When she looked at herself, she shrugged.  It would have to do.  She wasn’t interested in pretending to be something she wasn’t anyway.

She had barely sat back down before there was a knock at the door.  She looked over at the clock and smirked.  It was fifteen minutes before the hour.  She was not really surprised that he was the type to be early.  At least for things like this.

She hesitated before she opened the door, but chastised herself and opened it with a smile.  She was shocked to see Genesis standing on the other side with a small bouquet of flowers.  She didn’t have a clue what to say, so after a moment he smoothly held them out.  “For you, dear.”

She took them out of instinct and found that they smelled as good as they looked.  After she sniffed them once she found herself giving the man a smile.  She shook her head.  “Let me get these in some water before we leave; if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.”  He turned and made a gesture towards the road before he turned to follow her in. 

She looked behind him in curiosity and saw a cab waiting.  She gave him a surprised look.  “We could have taken the train or walked.”

He scoffed.  “It is far too cold to walk that far, and the train is not an option.”

She raised a brow at his vehement denial of the train, but then the reason struck her, and she laughed.  “I apologize.  I can see how the train might be problematic for you.”

He only gave her a curious look, and she laughed again.  She didn’t say anything else, though.  It took her a few minutes to find something suitable for the flowers.  She didn’t have a proper vase.  When he saw the setup, he shook his head.  “I will remember a vase next time.”

She laughed again.  “Only if it offends your sensibilities.  I think it’s cute.”  She had found a long clear blue glass tumbler.  The flowers were a mix, but there was some indigo, and it complemented those highlights.

He shook his head but changed the subject.  “Are you ready?”

She gave him a nod, and he held out his hand.  She eyed it for a moment before she decided to go ahead and take it.  Much to her relief, he simply tucked her hand into his crooked arm and led her to the still waiting cab.  She had to fight another smile when he opened the door for her.  She had never had someone treat her like this.  She knew that she might not always appreciate it as much, but for the moment, she really did feel special.  It was an odd feeling, and she tried not to let it grow too much.  She was still under the impression that this would not last.

Since they were taking a cab, it didn’t take them long to get to their destination.  He frowned slightly when she didn’t wait for him to open her door again, but he didn’t say anything.  Instead, he retook her hand and led her into the small restaurant.  They were immediately greeted by a tall woman that showed them back to a corner booth.  Kris felt a little self-conscious after the woman left.  Between the towering Commander and the woman, she had felt like she might disappear, with her full five feet two inches.

The thought disappeared quickly when she took in the fact that it was just the two of them.  She turned to him with a slight frown.  “I thought others would be joining us?”

He had been motioning to the waiter, but he turned and smiled.  “They should be here soon.  I did confirm with Angeal that he would attend.”

Her frown deepened slightly, and his smile softened.  “I give my word on my Soldier honor that they will be here.”

Kris decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and nodded.  She was pleased to see she was correct when it was only a few minutes later that she saw Zack following Commander Hewley in.  The person next to the Commander had her staring though.  When they reached the table, she stood.  “General Sephiroth, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

Sephiroth took her hand with a smile.  “The pleasure is mine.  I’ve heard about your recent encounter, and I’m glad to have this chance to speak with you.”

Kris didn’t know how to respond to that at all, so she turned to Angeal.  “Commander Hewley, it’s good to see you again.”

He grinned at her and motioned to the empty seats.  “Why don’t we have a seat.”

Kris started to sit back down, but Zack interrupted.  “Would you please excuse us for a moment, I need to speak with my sister.”

She gave him a curious look, but as soon as Angeal gave him a nod, he dragged her to the other side of the room.  When he felt they were out of earshot, he turned to her with a frown.  “Why didn’t you tell me you already had a date?”

She gave him a confused look.  “I thought you knew already.  Genesis said he would invite you and the Commander.  When you didn’t mention it, I thought it was because you didn’t want to start another argument.”

Zack sighed and gave her an exasperated look.  “He did invite us.  Today.  I was blindsided, and I wish you had told me.  I’ve already asked you to just leave him be.”

Kris didn’t want to fight with Zack, not about this, but she had never asked for much of her own.  Even if this didn’t turn out, she wanted to try.  She realized part of it was because she had been so bored and this was interesting, if unexpected, but convincing him of that would be difficult.  Still, she planned on trying.

* * *

 

Genesis eyed Sephiroth as he watched the siblings walk away.  He was not happy to see the man, but he wasn’t surprised.  After his spar with Kris earlier in the week, news of her lasting for more than fifteen minutes against a First spread quickly.  He had seen the Puppy overrun several times already and had to turn away each time.  The last thing he wanted was to jeopardize anything before it was started by setting Zack’s friends on fire.

He huffed in irritation but turned to watch the two siblings talk to each other.  He couldn’t hear them, but if their body language was any indication, he could well guess what it was about.  He really didn’t blame the Puppy for being worried about his sister.  There was a reason for his reputation after all, but it wasn’t his fault that he had yet to find a woman that was both beautiful and intelligent.

Despite his track record, he already found himself attracted to the tiny woman.  It was a shame that she was attached to his best friend’s protégé, but he had always been told that good things were worth fighting for.  He would see if the adage was true.

When he saw Kris put her hands on her hips and lean forward slightly, he grinned.  The woman wasn’t afraid of anything, although, she was speaking to her brother, so she had good reason to believe she was safe.  Still, she had acted much the same with him.  When he saw Zack slouch slightly and shuffle his feet, he turned to Angeal with a smirk.  “Have you ever seen a dog cower down before a spitting cat many times smaller?”

Angeal frowned at him.  “Don’t.  Don’t start.”

Genesis just raised a brow and looked back again before he gave Angeal a knowing look.  His friend ran his hand down his face with a sigh and pinned him with another glare.  “At least don’t say anything where they can hear it.”

Genesis smirked again.  “I don’t find it an inappropriate analogy, but I will abide by your request for now.”

They both turned when Sephiroth spoke.  He was giving Genesis a confused look.  “I was under the impression you were pursuing Miss Fair.  Is that not the case?”

Genesis raised a brow.  “It is.  Why are you confused.  Surely even you can understand that she is beautiful.  So far, I have been pleased to find that she is also intelligent and quite spunky.”

Sephiroth shook his head slowly.  “If that is the case, why would you compare her to an animal?”

Angeal groaned when Genesis’ smirk turned into a grin that was just shy of devilish.  “Because, my dear General, cats have many fine qualities that I am not disappointed to see the lovely Kristobel shares.”

Angeal groaned again.  He was already regretting forcing Genesis to go with him when he went to visit Zack.  It had seemed a good idea at the time because the man had been in one of his temperamental moods.  He thought getting out of headquarters would help.  Now, he just wished the whole mess would end quickly, one way or another.  He looked up and saw the siblings finally headed back and nodded towards them to let the others know.

When they finally sat down, Angeal shook his head.  The girl seemed nice enough, and Zack always talked about her.  The boy was obviously proud of her.  He once again mourned being stuck in the middle, but he tried not to think about it as the conversation turned to the spar between Kris and Genesis. 


	13. Chapter 13

## Chapter 13

Kris wasn’t sure that she had managed to convince Zack at all, but at least he had agreed to let her make her own decisions.  He still insisted on swearing bodily harm to Genesis if she got hurt.  She had rolled her eyes at that.  Not because she doubted him, or even because she didn’t appreciate it, but they both knew there was no way her brother could put a dent into the Commander.  She hoped that when it did end, she would be able to convince him it was something she had been prepared for.

She pushed those thoughts back when they rejoined the others.  Genesis stood as she approached and pushed her seat in for her.  When he sat next to her, she could feel her face heating again, but she ignored it when her attention was almost immediately grabbed by the General.  Having so many intimidating men surrounding her made her more nervous than usual, especially since she was so much smaller than all of them.  She tried not to let it show when she focused on what he was saying.

“I had not been told anything before your bout with Genesis, so I was quite surprised at all the hype afterward.  Thankfully the whole match was recorded.  I must admit that once I saw it, my first thoughts were that it is a pity that women can’t join Soldier.  We have never had another recruit that was able to stand against one of us for so long.  The average is just under six minutes for the test to go from Third to Second.  Your brother made quite the splash with his eight minutes.  You both must have gone through extensive training.  How old were you when you started learning?”

Kris tried to keep from grimacing at his question.  She still hadn’t shared the fact that she was adopted with anyone.  She wasn’t sure if it was lucky or not, but Zack spoke up before she could.  His enthusiasm was palpable at the turn the conversation had taken.

“We figure she must have started when she was little.  The first time she saved me from a gagighandi with nothing but a limb, it was awesome!”

Kris could suddenly feel three sets of eyes on her.  She looked around to see all three of the Firsts were giving her curious looks.  She shrugged self-consciously and was just thankful that they didn’t press her on the first part of his statement.  “It’s not like I fought it on purpose.  It’s kind of funny actually.  I climbed a tree to get away from it and then ended up falling on top of it when a limb broke.  I got lucky, and the limb was sturdy enough for me to defend myself.”

Kris was a little chagrined when her explanation didn’t seem to do anything other than make them more interested.  She caught the evaluating look Genesis was giving her, but she was thankful that Sephiroth spoke up first.  Or, at least she was thankful until she heard what he said. 

“I know that the reason women aren’t in Soldier is that they usually cannot handle the mako or the level of training.  I would be willing to chance it if you would be interested in trying out.  Zachary has already proven to be a great asset to the company.  Having another Fair on the team would be helpful.”

Kris had to blink a few times as she tried to assimilate what he had asked.  She could feel her ears burning as she finally managed to answer.  “While I really appreciate the offer, I don’t think being in Soldier would be a good fit for me.  I’m liable to piss off the wrong person.”

Both Genesis and Zack laughed at her claim.  When Zack realized it, he stopped immediately and gave the Commander a dirty look.  Thankfully, Kris didn’t see the exchange.  She was still looking at Sephiroth. 

He was giving her a wry look.  “I suppose I can understand your concerns.  Still, you have quite the talent.  It would be a shame for it to go to waste.  Have you considered applying for other branches within Shinra?  I am certain you would be welcomed, especially with what you have already shown us.”

Kris was dumbfounded.  She had never considered this conversation would be the outcome of her spar.  At the time, she hadn’t really thought she had made such a good showing.  She hadn’t even realized she had lasted as long as she had until Zack had brought it up.  He was a little jealous but more so proud.  Even if he hated that it had been against Genesis, he was still glad that she had the opportunity to prove that she wasn’t a shrinking wallflower. 

When she finally found her voice, she shook her head.  “I don’t know.  I have never really thought about it.  I currently have a job that I would hate to leave.  Mr. Alexandros depends on me a lot, and I wouldn’t want to leave him high and dry.”

Genesis gestured toward Kris.  “I have already spoken to her about coming to work with us and received much the same response.  It would not surprise me if others take it upon themselves to try and recruit her as well.”

Kris felt a little out of place under their stares.  She knew that she was skilled, but not to the extent that they were making her out to be.  This was the last thing she had expected, especially since it was supposed to be a social outing.  At that thought, she shook her head and decided it was time for a change of subject.  “I appreciate the fact that you all believe I have talent, but isn’t tonight supposed to not be about work?  What do you normally talk about when you are trying to relax?”

Genesis chuckled at her question since both Angeal and Sephiroth looked slightly abashed.  He caught Kris’ attention and gestured toward the other two.  “If they had their way, it would always be about work.  It is left up to me to ensure they are exposed to culture.”

Kris didn’t miss the fact that Angeal rolled his eyes, and Sephiroth shook his head.  Sephiroth tried to be neutral in his response.  “While Loveless is an influential part of our society, there is only so much of it we can handle at a time.”

Kris had to hide a laugh behind her hand at the dirty look Genesis shot the two of them.  It didn’t stop him from noticing it, though.  He cast them all a long-suffering glance.  “There are no dreams, no honor remains.  It pains me that my two closest companions cannot appreciate the finer points of such an epic.”  He lowered his brows and looked to Kris before continuing.  “I hope that you prove to be a little more interested in the arts.”

She couldn’t hide her laugh at that.  When his gaze nearly became a glare, she finally got herself under control and was able to speak.  “It isn’t that I am not interested.  I simply have never had the opportunity to find out if I like it or not.”

Genesis gave her a contemplative look before he responded.  “It is always a pleasure to share Loveless with someone for the first time.  Would you be interested in joining me for one of the showings soon?  I believe they even have some available on weeknights.”

Kris was stunned by his offer.  It took her a moment to gather her wits, and it struck her that it shouldn’t have surprised her.  It was a well-known fact that Commander Genesis Rhapsodos was an enormous fan of Loveless.  One of his fan clubs revolved around that fact.  She should have known that he would invite her at some point if they dated for any amount of time.  The thought that she was technically considered to be dating the man had her flustered all over again, but she managed to find her voice before he could get the impression she was rejecting him.

“I think that would be wonderful.  If weeknights are available, that would be best of course.”  She heard Zack make a disgusted noise at her agreement, but she ignored it.  It was harder to ignore the looks from the other two Firsts, though.  Sephiroth’s was contemplative, but Angeal’s mirrored Zack’s.  Neither of them commented though, so it was easy for her to pretend she hadn’t seen them.

Genesis gave her one of his charming smiles, but the waiter finally arrived with drinks for everyone at that point.  Kris was thankful that the conversation turned to other things.  Mostly it was everyone getting to know one another.  She didn’t allow it to go too far into her past, but all in all, it was a conversation that she enjoyed.  Getting to know the human side of the famous Firsts was a treat that she had never expected.  She could tell that Zack was just as glad.  He had idolized Sephiroth for years, and he held a great deal of respect for the other two.  At least when it came to business.  He didn’t care for Genesis’ interest in his sister, but he had to admit the man was an impressive fighter.

The rest of the evening was pleasant enough.  At least until it was time to go.  Genesis insisted on escorting Kris home, and since Zack lived in the same place, he ended up riding with them.  Kris was just thankful it was a short ride.  It was awkward enough without it having been extended.  By the time they made it home, and Genesis wished her goodnight with a kiss to her knuckles, she was debating whether it would be best to not have the others in attendance if they went out again.

* * *

 

The next day Kris had work.  She was almost thankful for the fact that it kept her busy.  It gave her less time to have to worry about whether Genesis would call or not and set up a time for them to see Loveless.  It also didn’t give her much time to worry about Zack and his clear disapproval of what she was doing.  She felt a little bad since it was the first time they had ever really disagreed to such an extent.  She just hoped that the tenseness between them would end soon.

It was near to midday, and Mr. Alexandros had come in to allow her time to take lunch.  She was just finishing up with a customer and was ready to relax for a few moments when her attention was drawn by the sound of the front door ringing open again.  She looked up to greet two men in dark suits.  Something about the way they were looking around made it suddenly hard for her to hold onto her smile.

She still managed to plaster one on when she greeted them.  “Hello.  Is there something that I can help you find?”

The one with red hair looked her up and down once, causing her hackles to rise.  His words made it even worse.  “Damn!  If I’da known that Fair had a sister like you, I woulda insisted on meetin’ ya sooner, yo.”

Kris was stunned for several moments.  She had no idea what to make of the man’s opening.  Before she spoke, Mr. Alexandros approached them and gave her a smile.  “Kris, why don’t you let me take care of these gentlemen.  It’s your lunch time.”

She gave him a grateful smile, but before she could turn, the redhead spoke again.  “Ah, we’re actually here to speak to her.  It’s great that it’s lunchtime.”

Both Kris and her boss gave the man confused looks.  He laughed before he continued.  “Sorry ‘bout bargin’ in unannounced like, but my boss wants to talk to you.  He asked us to bring you as soon as we found you.  It woulda been yesterday, but Fair wouldn’t tell us where ya lived.  We had to do it the hard way.”

Kris’ eyes had widened, and she looked between the strangers and her boss with confusion.  Mr. Alexandros was giving her a curious look, but she could tell there was worry underneath it.  Finally, he took her by the arm and gave the strangers another smile.  “Would you please excuse us for a moment?  If Kris is going to be gone for a bit, then I need to make sure I have everything in order, as I don’t usually stay after lunch.”  Kris could tell his request didn’t have anything to do with what he said, as it was his store.  He liked having her help, but he didn’t need it, at least not in the way he was implying.  Still, when the redhead nodded with a grin, she went with her boss silently.

When they made it back to his office, he closed the door and turned to her with a frown.  “Kris, I have a hard time believing you have done something bad enough for the Turks to be tracking you down.  Do you have any idea why they might want you?”

Kris felt her jaw fall slack at his question, but she couldn’t hold in her shock.  It took her several moments to be able to speak.  Her thoughts had suddenly gone into overdrive and immediately jumped to her missing memories.  There had been many townsfolk that felt she had been a prisoner or a spy in the beginning.  Could they have been correct and it was finally catching up to her?

When she didn’t speak right away, Mr. Alexandros gently took her arm and led her to a chair.  He took a seat across from her and tried to give her a gentler look.  “I can tell that you didn’t realize they were Turks.  I suppose that means you don’t know why they are here either?”

She was at least able to shake her head.  At that point, he sighed.  “I doubt there is any way you can get out of here without them knowing.  It might be best for you to go with them.  I’ll be fine here for the afternoon.  If I don’t hear from you by tonight, I’ll see who I can contact.  You have been the best thing to happen to this store, and I’m not letting anything happen to you if I can help it.  I may not seem like it, but even I know a few people.”

Kris gave him a crooked smile.  She was still nervous and worried, but his reassurances made her feel slightly better.  At least she knew that he didn’t doubt her.  As she calmed, she also remembered that the redhead had mentioned asking Zack.  She came to realize that if they asked Zack and it had been something serious, her brother would have said something already.  That thought had her shoulders slumping in relief.  She was able to stand at that point.  “Thank you.  If they talked to Zack already, then I don’t think this is because I’m in trouble.  At least I hope not.  I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

He gave her arm a squeeze before he followed her back out.  The two men in suits were still standing near the entrance where they had left them.  She swallowed once before she was able to talk.  Her nerves had not gone away completely.  “I’m ready to go now.  How long do you think I’ll be gone?”

The redhead smirked.  “As long as it takes, yo.”

Kris couldn’t contain her glare.  She knew it would be wise not to make them angry right off the bat, especially since she didn’t know what was going on, but she nearly snapped at him.  She was stopped when the tall bald one spoke up.

“Our boss just wants to talk.  You should be back this afternoon.”

“Man, why you gotta kill my fun?”

Kris glared at him when she realized he had been making it seem worse on purpose.  She bit her tongue, though.  She felt it would be best to get it over with.  Her reply wasn’t devoid of snark though.  “If you are done being a prick, can we get this over with?  I don’t need to miss too much work.”

Her glare deepened when he just grinned at her.  At least he turned to the exit though, so she didn’t snap again.  She gave Mr. Alexandros a nod before she followed the two men out and to a transport that was waiting in the street.  She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she wasn’t about to let them see it.

They hadn’t made it far when the redhead spoke up again.  “Name’s Reno by the way, and this is my partner Rude.  He don’t talk much.”

She gave him a nod.  “I’m Kris, but I guess you probably knew that already.”

He chuckled at her tone but nodded.  “Yeah, the amazing Kristobel Fair.  Your name’s all the rage these days.  You can’t go to the Soldier floor without hearin’ it at least once, yo.”

Kris let her head fall back against her seat and sighed.  After a few moments, she sat back up and gave him a curious look.  “Is that what this is about?”

He looked at her like she had said something strange.  “Yeah, what’d you think it was about?”

She shook her head.  “I don’t know.  It isn’t every day that you’re called to Shinra headquarters by Turks.”

He gave her a devious grin.  “So, ya knew we were Turks, huh?”

She nearly rolled her eyes at his expression.  “No, not at first.  My boss recognized your uniforms.  I’ve heard of the Turks though.”

“Hmm, wonder what the old guy’s about then?  I mean, I know we ain’t unknown, but most wouldn’t recognize us on sight.”

Kris wondered the same thing, but she didn’t voice it.  Even if she had wanted to, they had just pulled into the underground garage, and Rude parked the car.  Reno shot her another grin as he pointed to the elevator.  “Up that way.  Boss man is waiting.”

Kris was beginning to get the impression that the redhead was disrespectful all the time, so she tried not to let his attitude bother her.  It wasn’t long afterward that she found herself standing outside a nondescript door along the wall in a room full of desks.  When a voice inside called out, Reno opened the door and gave her a grin before walking away with a wave.

Kris wasn’t sure what to make of him, but she pushed it aside as she walked in.  She knew that if the man she was meeting was one of the leaders of the Turks, she would need to keep her wits about her.  She was greeted by the sight of a man that was medium height and build.  It was interesting though because it was obvious that he was from Wutainese descent.  Seeing anyone working for Shinra that was originally from Wutai was a shock, especially since he was a leader of some sort.

She wasn’t given long to contemplate it though, as he pointed to one of the chairs in front of his desk.  “Miss Fair.  I have been expecting you.  Please have a seat.”  Once she was seated, he retook his own and leaned back as he looked her over.  “My name is Tseng.  I am the second in command in the Department of Administrative Research, and I have a proposition that I would like to share with you.”

Kris blinked a few times before she finally spoke.  “You have a proposition?  And that is why you had your men come and pull me away from work?”

He gave her a slight smile that she could tell immediately was only for politeness’ sake.  It didn’t come close to touching his eyes.  If she hadn’t already been on guard, she would have been after seeing it.

“I apologize if it was an inconvenience, but I felt it was important for us to speak as soon as possible.”

She raised a brow at his assertation.  “Important for you or for me?”

She saw his smile dip slightly, but it was so quick, she almost missed it.  She kicked herself mentally at the sight of it.  She needed to remember that sometimes discretion was the better part of valor.  She was capable of keeping her tongue in check, even if most of the time she didn’t care to.

The was a sharpness to his eyes when he answered.  “I would like to believe it would be important to us both.  Would you hear me out?”

She weighed her options before she bit back a sigh.  Prolonging this would not get her back to work, and even though she was sure Mr. Alexandros was more than capable of taking care of the store in her absence, she still needed the hours.  She gave him a nod.  “Please forgive my attitude.  It was just that this whole process was a bit unexpected.”

His smile widened slightly.  “I can understand.  This shouldn’t take long.”  He then faced his computer and typed something in quickly before he turned the monitor so she could see it as well.  She cursed under her breath when she saw it was a video of her spar with Genesis.  Reno had told her that her scuffle was the instigation for this visit, she just hoped it wasn’t a reprimand.  If so, she was going to have choice words for her sort of boyfriend.

She didn’t have to wait long for an answer.  “I was surprised when I heard that a civilian was invited to spar with one of the Firsts.  I was further shocked when I saw this.  It isn’t often that you see someone this talented.  I asked you here to invite you to come to work for Shinra.  With this level of skill, you could be an excellent member of our team.”

She sat back and shook her head.  “What is up with that?  This is the third time I have been asked to come to work here.  Is it really that unusual?  I mean, Zack is nearly as good, or at least he was before Soldier, I mean.”

Tseng raised a brow at her outburst.  “Third time?”

Kris blushed slightly at the incredulous look he was giving her, but she nodded.  “Yes, both Genesis and General Sephiroth have asked me as well.  The General was even willing to let me try for Soldier.  That would be a disaster waiting to happen.  I shudder to think what Zack would do if he thought I was being picked on, much less what I might do if it actually happened.”

The look he gave her at that was clearly shocked, and she didn’t believe it was faked.  She tried to keep her embarrassment in check as he finally spoke again.  “I had not heard that they already asked.  From your reaction, I take it you declined?”

She nodded with a grimace.  “Yes.  Besides, I already have a job that I don’t want to leave.”

Tseng gave her an evaluating look.  “Phillips Alexandros’ furniture shop?  If I am not mistaken, you only work there three days a week.  Would it not be better to have something full time?”

Kris didn’t bother holding back her glare at his words.  His knowledge shouldn’t have surprised her.  Even if she hadn't known what the Turks were previously, Zack had shared enough of what they did on joint missions that she had a pretty good picture of their skill sets.  She had to fight to keep it from her voice when she answered.  “That is where I work, yes.  If you know that much, then you should know that I am the one that does most of the work there.  If I were to leave it would make things hard for him.  He has helped me too much for me to do that.”

It was several moments before Tseng spoke again.  “I can understand your reluctance, and your loyalty is commendable.  If I were to offer you the opportunity to work here part-time, would you consider it?”

Kris sat back with a shocked look.  Finally, her brows lowered.  “I thought that Turks went on missions like Soldier.  Wouldn’t my availability become an issue?”

Kris caught a glint at her words, but he simply gave her a smile.  “Of course, if we were to give you those types of assignments.  At this point, I would be willing to negotiate with you.”

She clenched her jaw.  She could tell there was more he wasn’t saying.  “In other words, you want me to become familiar enough with what you do so that I will change my mind and come to work full time.”

His smile widened at her assessment.  “Of course.  The more we speak, the more I believe you would do well here.  The fact that I am willing to work with you in the interim should not come as a surprise.”

She wanted to roll her eyes.  It seemed as though she was suddenly surrounded by arrogant males.  Unfortunately, she knew his offer was a good one.  This was a decision she wasn’t going to be able to make at the drop of a hat.  “Would you be willing to give me time to think about it?”

Kris almost stood and walked out when she saw a flash of triumph in Tseng’s eyes.  She shoved the impulse down and managed to only glare as he answered.  “Take your time.  The offer will stay open, at least for now.  There may come a time soon that the circumstances will change, but like I said, I am willing to work with you.”

She did stand at that point.  She leaned over and put her hands on his desk while she pinned him with a glare.  “I do appreciate the fact that you made this offer, and that you are willing to work with me, but don’t think that you can strong-arm me into a decision.  If I do decide to come to work for you, then it will be because I think it’s the best choice and not because you say I’m out of time.”

If he was flustered by her overt display, she couldn’t tell.  She stood with a huff.  “I’ll let you know by this time next week.  Is that acceptable?”

He gave her a smirk as he stood as well.  “Of course.  I look forward to your answer.”

She clenched her jaw at his self-satisfied look and left with just a nod.  Once she was out of the office, she saw Reno stand from a desk nearby.  She shook her head at him before he made a move.  “Don’t bother.  I can make it back by myself.”

He laughed and shook his head.  “I sure hope you say yes.  Working with ya will be amusin’.”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t completely hide a smile.  His idea of amusement was likely to be pestering her, but there was something about his laid-back attitude that was hard not to like.  She didn’t say anything else though and gave him a nod as she headed back down and out of the building.


	14. Chapter 14

##  **Chapter 14**

The main elevators always took forever because there were nearly sixty floors open to the public.  That day seemed worse than average.  It could have been that Kris had so much on her mind, but it seemed that it was stopping on every floor.  After the first few, she sighed and leaned against the wall.  She was looking down, but not really seeing any of the people getting on and off.  At least not until she heard a familiar voice calling to her with surprise. 

“Kristobel, what an unexpected pleasure.  Were you coming to surprise me?  I thought you had work today.”

Kris’ head shot up and her face immediately heated when she saw a few pairs of curious eyes turned to watch their exchange.  “Ah, Genesis.”  She didn’t know what to say at first, but when his brow rose, she quickly tried to explain.  “I did have work today, but a couple of the Turks came and got me.  Apparently, Tseng wanted to speak to me.”

Genesis frowned at that, but the doors had just opened.  He didn’t bother looking to see if it was the floor he wanted before he took her arm and led her off.  When they were alone, he gave her a frown.  “The Turks never bring good news.  What did their second in command want with you?”

Kris suddenly felt even more nervous than she had when she was speaking to Tseng.  It was clear that Genesis held no love for the Turks.  She shrugged.  “Actually, he just wanted to offer me a job.”

Genesis’ eyes widened, and he blinked a few times before he answered.  “A job?  With the Turks?”

She huffed and glared at him.  “You make it sound as if that were an impossible thing.”

At her reprimand, he shook his head and gave her a wry smile.  “There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the Goddess.  Please do not mistake my reserve as questioning your abilities.  I should not be surprised that he asked.  It is simply that I am not thrilled with him for doing so.  The Turks are a less than wholesome bunch.”

Kris found herself distracted at the way he wrinkled his nose when he mentioned the Turks.  She already thought he was handsome enough to make a girl forget to breathe, but at that, she had to bite back hard on the urge to squeeze him.  She doubted he would appreciate the fact that she found the expression adorable.

She shook those thoughts off as his look turned questioning and quickly tried to cover up her distraction.  “I understand.  I haven’t made a decision yet.  I told him I would let him know by the end of next week.”

He was still frowning.  “I would like to advise you against it, but it is not my decision to make.  I would be happy to give you advice if you wish it though.”

Kris felt the corners of her mouth curl up.  She still couldn’t figure him out, but it was nice that he wasn’t pushing his opinion, even if it was clear that he had one to share.  It turned into a full-blown grin when he caught sight of it and quirked a brow before he gave her one of his own.

“Well, I will admit that I am glad I caught you anyway.  I tried to call you earlier and only reached your voicemail.”

She shrugged apologetically.  “I leave my phone off while I am at work.  I will occasionally check it if I have a few moments, but today was a bit hectic.”

“I understand.  I tried to reach you because I confirmed that there will be a small exclusive showing of the newest rendition of Loveless at the main theatre.  I was offered tickets if you would like to attend with me.  Though it won’t be until the middle of February, I’m afraid.”

Kris was so stunned that she couldn’t respond at first.  Yes, he had asked her previously, but she still was under the impression that he would let things drop.  The fact that not only had he confirmed he still wanted to take her but that it was extra special had her ears burning again.  Plus it was far enough out that she wasn’t sure what to think.  When he gave her an expectant look, she finally found her voice.  “Of course, that sounds lovely.”  As soon as the words left her mouth, another thought occurred to her.  “Although, if it is going to be an exclusive showing, is there a dress code?”

He tapped his chin with his forefinger before he finally nodded.  “Yes, usually it would be a black tie affair.  I would be happy to help if you do not have anything appropriate.”

Kris took a step back and struggled not to say the first thing that came to her mind.  She had to take a deep breath and remind herself that he obviously did not understand how arrogant and condescending his offer sounded.  Once she was a little calmer, she pinned him with a glare.  “I understand that you are trying to be helpful, but please don’t assume that just because I come from a poor rural town that I do not know or cannot get appropriate attire for _anything._   That goes for any other offer as well.  I do not want or need to be a charity case.”  She had to snap her mouth shut to keep the rest of her irritation from coming out.  She doubted that telling him to shove it if that was the only reason he had asked her out would go over well.

His eyes widened, and he tried to reach for her.  She stepped back before he could touch her.  He shook his head at her movement.  “I apologize.  It was not my intention to make you feel as though I made the offer from pity.  You have proven several times over that you are more than capable of whatever you put your mind to.  I only felt that it would be most expedient if I helped.”

Kris was still angry, but she could tell his apology was sincere.  He meant well, even if he came across as a prick.  She counted to ten once more before she felt she could answer without yelling.  “I appreciate the offer, but I can handle it.  Just let me know when, please.”  The last part had been added as an afterthought.  She really didn’t want him to think she was going to stay angry about it.  She could already feel it starting to drain away as he smiled at her.

“I will have the tickets to you within a few days if that is acceptable.”

Kris gave him a confused look.  “To me?  You're going to give them to me?”

He looked like he was unsure of how to take her question, but he tried to answer.  “I had assumed you would want yours at least.  It would allow you to keep it in mind and on your schedule, as well allowing you the opportunity to research the venue, if you would like, of course.”

Kris could only stare.  His offer was the last thing she expected.  With it being so far out, she felt it would be awkward if things didn’t work out and she still had the ticket.  He could always ask for it back, but that seemed like something he would see as beneath him.  It meant that he either fully intended to still have her around in two months, or didn’t care that he had wasted the money.  The second option was plausible, but it was still Loveless.  She doubted he would not go.

As she realized his actions stemmed from the fact that he seemed to really mean what he had told her about taking time to get to know her, she felt her face heat again, but she couldn’t hold back a smile.  She almost launched herself at him but paused.  She wasn’t sure if he would appreciate being mauled.  Her voice was soft when she spoke.  “Would it be alright if I gave you a hug?”

His eyebrows went up, but it only lasted a second.  He gave her a soft smile and held up his arms.  Kris could feel her cheeks heating again as she wrapped her arms around him.  She realized how bad it could be for her health when she breathed in his spiced autumn scent and almost felt drunk.  The sensation wasn’t helped when he leaned down and whispered near her ear.

“You know, you do not need my permission for this.  I have no intentions of pushing you, but I do hope that this will be a commonplace occurrence, among other things.”

Kris felt like she was going to combust.  Between his breath on her ear and his words, she could have sworn she was on fire.  She didn’t try to speak.  Instead, she just nodded with her face buried in his chest.  He chuckled but didn’t say anything else.

It was several moments later before she felt it was safe to step back.  She couldn’t look him in the eye.  “Thank you for inviting me.  I look forward to it.  For now, I really need to get back to work.  Mr. Alexandros is waiting.”

She was shocked when he gently cupped her chin and turned her to face him.  She felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest at the soft look he was giving her.  “Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess.  I am looking forward to unraveling that mystery as we continue to share our time together.”

Kris suddenly felt like her bones were melting.  This was precisely why she had been afraid.  If he kept this up, then she wasn’t sure she could remain objective.  She gave herself a mental shake as she tried to come up with a response.  “I-I’m looking forward to it as well.”  She forced her feet to take a step back and gave him another smile.  “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”  She didn’t wait for a response before she turned back to the elevator.  It took all she had not to run.

* * *

 

She had to take the train back, but she always had her pass on her, so it wasn’t a problem.  Being distracted the whole way was.  She still couldn’t figure out what Genesis was up to.  It terrified her that she was starting not to care.  The way he talked to her and treated her made her tingle all over, and as far as she was concerned, that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.  She had never thought of anyone that way before, and there was still the fact that she knew he could never find her attractive, at least not all of her.  There were still things that no one outside of her family had seen for a good reason.  The thought of his reaction to those things was a sobering one.  At least she was not acting like a ditz anymore by the time she walked back into the store.

Mr. Alexandros greeted her with a  relieved smile.  “I’m glad to see you back.  Since it was only a couple hours, does that mean it wasn’t trouble?”

She shook her head with a wry smile.  After her run-in with Genesis, she had completely forgotten why she was there in the first place.  “Ah, actually, they asked me to visit because they were trying to recruit me into the Turks.”  She felt it was best to be honest, especially with her boss.

His shocked look didn’t help, though.  After a few seconds, he looked around to verify the store was empty before he motioned her to the back.  “Why don’t you tell me what happened?”  She wasn’t surprised; she only hoped he knew that she would never abandon her job.

They left the door open in case anyone came in, but he gestured to a seat.  “You know, it isn’t often that the Turks recruit like that.  They’re not known for giving choices.  What happened to make them ask you?”

Kris sighed.  She hadn’t told him about her spar with Genesis.  She hadn’t told him about Genesis at all since it was a personal matter, but since it now might affect her job, she didn’t see a way around it.  “It’s because I sparred with Commander Rhapsodos and they seemed to like the way I handled myself.”

Had it been under any other circumstances, she might have laughed at the look he gave her.  “What?  Why, I mean, how could that even happen?  Did Zack talk you into doing something stupid?”

She did chuckle at his question but shook her head.  “No, actually he tried to talk me out of it.  It’s a long story, but basically, both Commander Rhapsodos and Commander Hewley came to see Zack after his first solo mission.  When they found out I was the one that taught my brother his skills with staves, Genesis asked if I would be interested in a bout with him.”

Kris wasn’t sure how, but his shocked expression became even more exaggerated.  Whatever he had been about to say was interrupted by the dinging of the entrance bell.  When Kris got up to see who had come in, she was stopped momentarily.  “This sounds like a story you will need to tell me in detail another time.”

She nodded and smiled.  “Of course.”

He watched her go greet the young couple that had just come in, but his mind was elsewhere.  He had worked for Shinra for most of his life before he finally decided it was too much.  He knew he was out of touch, but not so far that he didn’t know what the Turks were.  He wasn’t sure what to think of the idea that his capable assistant was talented in martial arts to the extent that it caught their eye.  There was obviously much more to her than he ever thought.

* * *

 

It turned out that the last part of the afternoon was busy enough that they never had the chance to talk.  Mr. Alexandros stayed until closing, but he could tell her mind was already occupied and felt it could wait.

When she got home, Zack was still up.  Kris was surprised since he was usually asleep when she came in on the weekends.  He didn’t say anything when she joined him in the kitchen.  All he did was hand her a cup of tea.  She smiled at his thoughtfulness.  “I suppose this means you heard already?”

“Yeah, Reno and I talk a lot, so he told me they tracked you down.  I’m sorry.  When he asked yesterday I didn’t really think he was serious.  If I’d have known that they wanted to talk to you for real, I would have given you a heads up.”

She took a sip of tea and shook her head.  “Nah, don’t worry about it.  Did he also tell you why?”

Zack grimaced.  “He said Tseng asked you to be a Turk.  Was he serious?”

Kris sighed and nodded.  “Yeah.  He even offered to hire me part-time, so I wouldn’t have to quit my job.”

Zack’s eyes widened.  “Really!?  Woah, that’s unheard of.”

Kris shared his grimace.  “That’s lovely to hear.”

He shook his head and gave a sympathetic look.  “What’d you tell him?”

“I told him I’d think about it.  He expects an answer by the end of next week.”

“Well, I guess that’s something.  If he was willing to let you wait, maybe he won’t get angry when you tell him no.”

Kris paused with the cup halfway to her lips.  She set it back down slowly and gave him a curious look.  “Who said I was going to say no?  I’m still deciding.”

Zack gave her a look like she was crazy.  “Of course you don’t want to be a Turk.  They’re killers.”

Kris had to take a deep breath through her nose and out her mouth before she answered.  “Zack, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but aren’t you too?  I mean, you haven’t been to Wutai yet, but if you were sent, wouldn’t you go and fight without question?”

He looked as if she had just slapped him.  He stood up in a rush.  “That isn’t the same thing at all!”

She held up both her hands in a conciliatory gesture.  “I told you I wasn’t trying to make you mad.  I know enough from what you have told me already that they deal with the darker side of things, but as you always say, orders are orders, no?”

He shook his head with a frown, but he didn’t speak right away.  Finally, he sat down again with a sigh.  “Yeah, I guess they are just following orders too, but why would you want to put yourself in the position to have to do that kind of stuff.  I can’t see you doing it.”

She sighed and laid her head on the table.  Her voice was muffled when she spoke.  “I never said I was.  I just don’t know yet.  It could be beneficial for us both, but you’re right about me not liking it.”  She sat back up and grinned at him.  “If my conversation with Tseng is anything to go by, I might end up court-martialed anyway.  I doubt I could hold my tongue forever.”

“Court-martialed?  What is that?”

Kris looked surprised for a moment before she sighed again.  “It means being tried for insubordination.  Sorry, I don’t know where I got that.”

Zack shook his head again and grinned at her.  “There is no telling.  But you’re right.  I can see you butting heads with Tseng.”  His grin widened.  “It might be worth it just to see that.  Reno is always trying to get him to loosen up.  Maybe you can help!”

She laughed at his expression.  “You are _way_ too into that idea.  If Reno is behind it, then it might be safer for me to stay out.”

“But it might be fun for us all to hang out!”

Kris laughed at his enthusiasm.  She could already see the wheels turning in his mind.  She could tell he was already thinking about ways to get her to mingle with people.  She appreciated his concern and might even go out with him, now that he wasn’t trying to hide the fact that he had a sister.  She let the thought go as he started in on something else.  She knew she would need to decide soon, but at least he wasn’t fighting her on this decision.  At least not yet.  She had a feeling that if she did choose to be a Turk, that might change.


	15. Chapter 15

##  **Chapter 15**

The next morning, Mr. Alexandros barely stayed long enough to help her get the store opened.  She wasn’t sure, but it seemed that he was treating her with a little more distance than usual.  His smile was still warm when he wished her luck for the day and left.  Once he was gone, she sighed.  She hoped that what had happened the day before wouldn’t make him second guess her.  She had a great job and didn’t want to lose it.

Luckily, she didn’t have much time to worry about it.  Her morning was busy.  It seemed that every couple in the city was suddenly either starting a family or getting married.  She knew the thought was an exaggeration, but when it was past her lunchtime, and Mr. Alexandros hadn’t come in yet, she was ready to close the doors for a little bit anyway.  She did sigh when she heard the door ring again.  She still managed to smile before she turned to greet the newest customer.  “Hello, welcome to-“

She stopped and stared for several seconds as she tried to make sense of the sight of Genesis standing just inside the doorway with a basket in hand.  She was finally jarred from her shock when he stepped closer and smiled.  “Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess.  I hope that I am not too late for lunch.  I brought something to share.”

She gave him a confused look.  “You brought lunch to share with me?”  He chuckled at her reiteration, and she could feel her face burning.  She felt stupid for even asking, but it was just too surprising.  He didn’t mention her reaction, though.

“Of course.  I have to deploy for a short mission on Monday, so I thought it would be wonderful to see you before I leave.”

“Oh.”  She had no idea how to react to his presence. 

When she didn’t respond other than that, he held the basket up again.  “Have you eaten yet?”

She shook off her stupor and shook her head.  “No, I haven’t had the chance.  Mr. Alexandros usually comes in so I can break for lunch and he hasn’t returned yet.”

Genesis frowned at her response.  “You are alone?”

“Yes?”  She wasn’t sure why he was giving her that look.  “I thought I told you already that I handle the store by myself except for opening and closing.”

His frown deepened.  “You said you managed the store for him, but I didn’t realize you were alone.”

She suddenly recognized that he was implying she could be in danger and she frowned back.  She didn’t get a chance to say anything though before he shook his head.  He was still frowning, but his look was more evaluating.  “I suppose I should not be surprised.  Your capability continues to pleasantly surprise me.  I know you can handle most things, but that doesn’t mean I like the idea.”

Kris felt her stomach flip at his sentiment.  The fact that he wasn’t doubting her, but still worried about her made her feel strange.  She managed to shake the feeling off as she pointed to the back of the store.  “I apologize that I can’t join you right now, but I don’t think it would be a problem for you to wait if you want.  I’m sure Mr. Alexandros will be here soon.”

His brow furrowed slightly as he stepped closer.  “Surely it would not be an issue for you to pause for a short while.  The store is empty, is it not?”

Kris looked around him out of habit before she finally answered.  “You are the only other person here for the moment, but it has been busy today.  I don’t dare close the shop for lunch.”

He gave her a contemplative look before he looked around as well.  He then pointed to the door to the back office.  “Why don’t you join me in the back and leave the door open.  I would be happy to greet customers while you finish eating at least.”

Her eyes bugged a little at his suggestion.  She could clearly picture what kind of disaster that could be.  Especially if it were a female customer.  She still tried to be polite.  “I couldn’t ask you to do that!”

He raised a brow at her response.  “I have led thousands of troops in battle.  I believe handling a few customers would be no issue.”

Kris spoke before she could think better of it.  “Those two skills sets are not necessarily interchangeable!”  He gave her a shocked look, but they were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell before he could respond.  She heard Mr. Alexandros before she saw him.

“Ah, Kris.  I apologize for being late to-“

Her boss cut himself off when Genesis turned to face him.  He stood there, staring at her guest for several moments before he managed to shake off his surprise and greet the man.  “Commander Rhapsodos, it is a pleasure to see you in my store.  I hope that you have found everything to your satisfaction.”

Kris wanted to kick her suitor when he responded with an acerbic tone.  “Quite the contrary.  I came fully expecting to be too late for Kristobel’s lunch, and I found that she has not had the opportunity to go yet.  Not only that, but she is here alone.”

Kris shot him a glare as she stepped passed him and turned to her boss.  “I apologize Mr. Alexandros.  It is really no problem.  You have never been late before, and I know that life can be unpredictable.  It’s fine.  If you don’t mind, I can take a quick lunch.”

She swallowed nervously when he didn’t respond right away.  He looked between the two of them for several seconds before he finally turned to the Commander with a confused look.  “You only came to bring Kris lunch?”

Genesis smirked.  “Of course.  Our schedules make it difficult to see one another under the best of circumstances.  With my upcoming deployment, I wanted to see her as much as possible before I leave.  That shouldn’t be so surprising, surely?”

Kris wanted to facepalm when the two men just stared at each other.  When her boss finally turned to her with both brows raised, she could tell he expected an explanation.  She was just thankful that he seemed to be alright with receiving it later as she took in what he said.

“Well, I am here to allow her to break for a meal.  You are welcome to use the office if you want to.  All I ask is that if you leave, make sure you’re back in an hour.”

Kris didn’t give Genesis a chance to make it worse again.  She gave Mr. Alexandros a smile and took Genesis’ arm.  “Thank you!  The back is fine.  I’ll make sure to be on the floor on time.”

She didn’t think about her actions until she had managed to lead Genesis nearly to the back of the store.  She heard him chuckle and looked up with wide eyes.  She couldn’t stop her blush when he smirked at her. 

“I did say that I had no problem with you reaching out to me, but after the way you reacted, I hadn’t expected you to take to it so quickly.”

She nearly groaned at his teasing, but she managed to get them into the office and close the door before she dropped his arm.  She turned to him with a frown, but even she could tell it didn’t hold much weight with the way her face was burning.  “Do you enjoy teasing me?”

His smirk widened slightly, and he took a step closer to her.  “Yes I do.  The way you blush is quite lovely.  Knowing the fact that I am the cause makes it all the sweeter.”

“Oh.”  She hadn’t really expected him to be honest about it.  His reasoning was even worse.  She turned to the desk and started clearing it as she tried to compose herself.  “I appreciate you bringing lunch.  I would have just gone down the street to the bakery.”

Her breath hitched when he stepped next to her and set the basket down on the space she had just cleared.  He turned her and lifted her chin.  She had that melting feeling wash over her again at his smile.  “It is my pleasure.”

She managed a nod, but he didn’t release her right away.  He looked over her face for several seconds, and his gaze turned contemplative before he finally let her go.  She took a step back as soon as he released her.  His voice was soft.  “If my teasing truly bothers you, please let me know.  I will stop.”

Kris wasn’t sure what to make of the man.  Everything he had done since the moment they met went against all she had ever heard.  Especially the stories from Zack.  He was supposed to be a womanizer, temperamental, and a drama queen.  Some of what he did, like his teasing, made her think it wasn’t all BS, but more often than not, he was consistently showing her that he was actually thinking about her.  She shook her head finally and gave him a half-smile.  “Thank you.  If it does, don’t worry that I won’t say something.”

His smirk quirked up again as he held out the chair for her.  “I would expect nothing less.”

The lunch he brought ended up being a three-course meal and dessert from one of the restaurants she had only ever heard of.  The food was still warm, and some of the most delicious she had eaten since she had left home.  Their conversation was pleasant, as well.  By the time her hour was up, Kris was surprised to find that she was a little sad that he had to go.  She had enjoyed herself.  It helped that she wasn’t distracted by her little brother giving them dirty looks.

When he took her hand and kissed her knuckles before he left, she could feel her face heating again, but she ignored it as she gave him a smile and a wave.  She was still grinning when she joined Mr. Alexandros to let him know she was good to take over again.  She had all but forgotten that he had implied that he wanted an explanation.  At least until he sat next to her and gave her an expectant look.

She had both the urge to roll her eyes and to try and find something else to do to hide her embarrassment.  She considered her boss a friend of sorts, and having him find out everything he had over the last couple of days in the manner it had happened made her cringe.

She sighed and shook her head.  “I didn’t think it would become an issue, but the Commander asked me out after the spar I told you about yesterday.  There really isn’t much to say as I suppose this lunch counts as our second date.  Maybe even less since Zack and the other Firsts were there during the first one.”

He blinked at her a couple of times before he shook his head with a chuckle.  “I guess it doesn’t surprise me.  I was late because I pulled some strings to be able to see what the fuss was about.  I heard your name several times while I was there.  I have to say that I was a little shocked.  You’re so nice all the time that I never expected to see you try to take the Commander’s head off more than once.”

By that point, he had started laughing in earnest.  When he caught sight of her reddened cheeks, he tried to tone it down and grinned at her.  “I doubt the Commander has been the first man to see you and want to ask you out.  He’s just the lucky one that you noticed in return.”

Kris tried to glare back, but it didn’t hold any heat.  “Zack said the same thing, but I don’t see it.”  She stood at that point as the door had rung open.  She glanced at him quickly and shook her head.  “Still, thank you for being understanding.”

He smiled and shooed her toward the couple that had just come in.  “Don’t thank me, just keep your head around him.  I don’t want to lose my best employee.”

She smirked.  “I’m your only employee.  Don’t worry, I don’t plan on leaving.”  She didn’t give him the chance to respond again before she turned to greet the young couple.

* * *

 

Genesis ended up visiting again on Sunday.  He even stayed for a few hours and tried to chat when she was in between customers.  Kris did like sharing conversations with him but ended up having to shoo him out.  She wasn’t getting anything done, and she didn’t want to get into trouble for being lazy.  At least he had managed to keep himself hidden when customers came it.  She hated to think about the disaster it would have been if he had been spotted.  It might have increased their customers, but likely not in the way they needed.

When Monday came, he called her early as he was headed to the helicopter.  She wanted to grumble at the hour, but something in his tone made her hold her tongue.  She couldn’t bring her self to fully believe it, but it sounded like he was actually going to miss her.  One they were off the phone, she dismissed the idea as crazy.  No matter what else she knew about him, or assumptions she could make, they really barely knew each other.  If he did miss her, it was only going to be in a shallow kind of way.  Even so, the thought had her smiling as she made breakfast.

She didn’t bother telling Zack what her grin was about, but she did tell him she would see him later.  She was glad he was rushing and didn’t get a chance to ask her why.  She had already decided what she was going to tell Tseng and planned to go ahead and get it over with that morning.  She didn’t think making her brother late to go over it would have been a good idea.

She waited until around 10:00 before she decided to head to the Shinra building.  She didn’t bother talking to the receptionist as she headed in.  When she got to the Turk floor, she stepped off the elevator and was greeted with an exuberant hello.  She turned to see Reno had stood from behind his desk and was grinning as he approached.

“Look at who it is.”  She didn’t hide her rolling eyes at the appreciative look he was giving her.  He either didn’t see it or was ignoring it as he continued.  “I wasn’t expectin’ ya until later this week.  Am I just so irresistible ya gotta come see me?”

She laughed at him.  From some of the things her brother had told her, this was just the way the Turk was with everyone.  He apparently had a flirty streak a mile wide.  It was one of the reasons Zack had continued not to tell his friends that he had a sister until he was forced to.  She shook her head before she answered.  “While I’m sure women are lining up for you, I’m not ever going to be one of them.  Besides, I’ve already got my hands full.”

Instead of backing off, the red-head leaned over, so he was a little closer.  He dropped his voice into a mock whisper and smirked at her.  “Yeah, I heard.  I can guarantee that Commander Cranky ain’t better than me though.”

Kris held up both hands and took a step back.  She shook her head at his antics.  “I’m not debating that today.  I need to talk to Tseng anyway.”

He laughed before he pointed to the office they had shown her to during her previous visit.  “He’s probably expectin’ ya.  I got a desk ready for ya right next to mine.”  She raised a brow at his statement but didn’t bother saying anything.  She wanted to talk to Tseng first.

She only had to knock once before she was bid to enter.  Tseng stood as soon as he saw it was her and gave her a small smile.  She noted it didn’t reach his eyes and hoped that was normal and not because he anticipated what she was going to tell him.  He waited until they were both seated again before he spoke.  “I would like to say that I am pleased to see you again, but since it has been less than a week, I expect you are not here to tell me yes.”

Kris had to fight to keep from grimacing.  She shouldn’t be surprised that he was able to figure it out.  She gave him a nod.  “While I appreciate the offer, I don’t think that I would be a good fit for the Turks.  It isn’t about what you all do, or at least what I expect you do, but it’s more that I believe I would probably end up getting shot or something.”

He raised a brow at her explanation.  “While I won’t say that getting shot isn’t a possibility, I had not pegged you for a person that would shy away for that reason alone.”

She gave him a confused look for a split second before she realized that his meaning was not the same as hers.  She laughed and shook her head.  “Sorry, I guess I should have clarified.  I expect that I would get shot by a co-worker, or you.  I have a bad habit of not bothering to filter what I say.  I can see how that would get me in trouble quick in this type of environment.”

He just stared at her for several moments while he tried to make sense of what she said.  Kris barely noticed that his brow had drawn down the tiniest sliver.  His voice was neutral when he spoke again.  “Shooting insubordinate Turks is not my usual form of punishment, no matter how much I might want to.  If that is your only fear, then it is an unfounded one.”

Kris had to clamp her lips together tightly to keep from laughing again.  She was sure by the look he was giving her that he knew it too.  She cleared her throat and gave it a moment before she felt she could talk without cracking up.  “You do realize that statement was an exaggeration, right?  At least the part about being shot.  I really do think that I would get into more trouble here then what would be acceptable to me.  I can’t see any branch of military being right for me.”

His expression hadn’t changed, but something in his tone made Kris want to leave.  She managed to curb the urge.  “Is that your final answer?”

She gave him a nod.  “Yes.  At this time, I cannot accept your offer.  I realize it was generous, but I don’t think it would work.”

He gave her a curt nod and stood.  When she joined him, he gave her another smile that didn’t reach his eyes.  “I appreciate you taking the time to think it over at least.  If you change your mind in the near future, please let me know.  I will leave the offer open for now.”

She was shocked that he was so accepting, but she wasn’t going to question it.  “Thank you.  I’ll keep it in mind.”  She didn’t want to hang around anymore and nodded to him on her way out.

When she saw Reno give her a confused look that she was already out, she hurried to the elevator.  The last thing she wanted was to have to tell him too.  She was sure Zack would hear about it later, but she had a sneaky suspicion her brother would be happy about it; even if he was friends with Reno.

Once she was outside, she finally remembered she had told Zack she would visit.  With a sigh, she headed to the closest burger joint.  It was always a good idea to bring him food.  Even if he had already eaten, she knew he would eat again.  At least thinking about her brother’s never-ending appetite put a smile back on her face.


	16. Chapter 16

##  **Chapter 16**

During the week that Genesis was gone for his mission, he either messaged or called Kris every day.  Even if their conversations were short, Kris found that she couldn’t keep a smile off her face.  The fact that he was thoughtful enough to keep in touch even while he was gone for work made her feel strange, but it was a good kind of strange.  Zack had figured out why she was in a constant good mood early in the week, and she would occasionally catch him grumbling about it, but he never said anything to her directly, so she avoided bringing it up.

It was Wednesday of that week when Zack convinced her to go out with him and some of his friends.  They didn’t have any upcoming missions, so they all agreed it would be okay.  Kris rolled her eyes when they got to the bar and Reno was one of the people sitting at the table they were headed to.  She was more surprised to see other Soldiers sitting there comfortably with the Turk.  She had been told the two branches were on working terms only, but she realized that Reno was probably an exception.  The man was irreverent as they came.

When they pulled even with the table, Reno smirked up at her and patted the seat next to him.  “I saved a spot just for you, yo.”

Zack shuffled a little beside her, but she ignored them both and sat down across from Reno instead.  She turned to the two Soldiers and gave them a smile.  “Your names were Kunsel and Luxiere, right?”

Kunsel grinned, and Luxiere smirked.  It was Kunsel that answered.  “I see you’re better with names than your brother.”

Kris laughed at the teasing jab and grinned at Zack before she answered.  “It wouldn’t be fair for him to have all the talent.”

Luxiere shook his head before he spoke.  “I wouldn’t say he got all the talent.  I was sure you were going to do the impossible and hurt a First.  That was amazing.”

Kris blushed at his exuberance and waved it off.  “That’s just hard work.”  She quickly moved to change the subject and looked at her brother.  “So, why exactly are we here anyway?”

Zack grinned at her sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.  “Well, I thought it had been a long time since we got to do anything together, so I just wanted us to hang out.”

Kris gave him a look that told him she knew what he was up to.  She only held it long enough for him to shuffle uncomfortably in his seat before she grinned at him and turned to Reno finally.  “Zack tells me that the two of you work together a lot.  What’s it like?”

Reno had been eyeing her after her snub of his first offer, but at her question, he grinned.  “Oh, it’s fun.  More fun than workin’ with most Soldiers, but I doubt it’s as great as it woulda been workin’ with you.”

Kris laughed and shook her head.  “I’m not cut out for the military.  I know I’m too mouthy.”

Reno’s grin got wider.  “See, I knew I liked you.”

Kris laughed and shook her head, but the waiter arrived at that point to take their orders.  It wasn’t long until they all had drinks and settled into a comfortable conversation.  Any time the conversation veered into Kris’ possible future with Shinra, she quickly changed the subject.  She already knew that Zack had planned the whole thing as a way to get her to not think about Genesis, and she didn’t hold it against him.  That didn’t mean that she had any plans to even think about joining any branch of the Shinra military.

By the end of the night, Kris was a little tipsier than she had planned on becoming, so Zack had to help her onto the train.  It also meant that the rest of their little group were able to get a promise for them all to hang out regularly.  Not that Kris really minded.  Outside of work and Genesis, she hadn’t been out much since they moved to Midgar.  It would be nice to not feel as isolated.

* * *

 

The following Monday, it was late when Genesis finally called.  Kris had been fighting her own worry most of the evening.  He had regularly contacted her by late afternoon since he had been gone, so she tried not to let her relief show in her voice when she answered.

If Genesis noticed it, he didn’t mention it.  There was a pleased lilt to his voice, though.  “Kristobel, I do apologize for the late hour, but we are making arrangements to be back tomorrow.”

She felt her cheeks stretch as she grinned, although she tried to keep her voice even.  “That’s good.  I imagine it will be nice for you to sleep in your own bed again.”

He chuckled.  “Indeed.  That is not what I am looking forward to most, however.”  He paused for effect, but not long enough for her to ask what he meant.  “I should be back early in the day, and I had hoped that I could convince you to join me for dinner later.  Just the two of us.”

Kris tried, but there was no way she could keep the grin from her voice at his request.  “I think I would enjoy that.  What time?”  Kris was pleased to hear a smile in his voice as well when he answered, although she doubted he was grinning.  She almost missed his answer as she tried to picture the way his smile softened his features and made the image of his lips do strange things to her insides.

“I will be there at 19:00 to pick you up.”

Kris had to fight to get her expression back under control as she answered.  She knew her excitement could still be heard, though, and tried not to let it bother her.  “Can I ask where we will be going?”

Genesis chuckled slightly at her oblique reference to their first date and his desire to surprise her.  “I have reservations for Linston’s.”

Kris didn’t respond right away.  Linston’s was the restaurant that he had brought her lunch from, so she knew the food would be phenomenal, but it was also a place that required reservations.  Usually, far in advance.  It wasn’t the kind of place she had ever thought of going, and she had to fight her nerves as she thought of all that implied.  Not the least of which was the fact that he already had reservations.  Did he have that much pull or was it that he already had them and she was a convenient replacement for the person he had originally planned to take.

She shook off her rambling thoughts when he called out to her again.  She tried not to let her nerves be heard.  “I apologize, but that is unexpected.  I thought it took forever to get reservations there.”

She could practically hear his smirk when he answered.  “Normally, yes.  However, they have a small section set aside for Shinra executives.  As a Soldier First-Class, I have the distinction of its use.  I never have a problem getting a table when I wish it.”

Kris could feel her ears burning at the reminder of the gap in their social status.  Not that he had ever inferred it, but it was still there, and it settled like lead in her stomach.  She finally shook the thoughts off as she picked up a note of concern when Genesis spoke again. 

“Kristobel, are you alright?”

She forced a bit of levity into her voice.  “Of course, I was just surprised.”

She must not have done as good of a job as she expected and grimaced at his next question.  “If you are worried, please do not be.  There are no expectations, and even if there were, I am certain that you would fulfill them all, just as you are.”

Kris felt the corner of her lips curl up despite her initial misgivings.  She was continuously underestimating the man, and she needed to quit it.  Her next words had no need for forced cheer.  “I’m glad you think so.”  She cleared her throat and shook off the last of her worry.  “Well, I suppose that means I’ll see you tomorrow.  Have a safe journey back.”

“Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return.  I would not let anything keep me from your side.” 

Kris laughed at his exaggeration, but couldn’t deny that it made her feel better.  “See you then.”  She hung up at his return goodbye and couldn’t keep a smile from her face for the rest of the evening.

* * *

 

When Kris told Zack that he would have to eat leftovers, and why, he wasn’t thrilled, but they had been through it enough that he knew better than to argue.  He was home before it was time for Genesis to pick her up and made a point of being the one to answer the door when a knock came at ten minutes before the hour.  He glared at the man that was standing there with a brow raised and a small bouquet.  “Commander Rhapsodos.  Kris will be out in a minute.”

Kris huffed from right behind him.  She hadn’t been fast enough to stop him from answering the door, but she did peek her head around him and gave Genesis a smile.  At his returning smirk, she poked Zack in the side and made him yelp before he gave her a glare too.  When he jumped, she stepped around him and held out her hands to take the flowers from Genesis.

“Thank you again.  They’re lovely.”

He didn’t hesitate to follow her into the house at her gesture, even though Zack was still glaring at them both.  When Genesis saw her pull out the same blue tumbler, he shook his head but didn’t say anything.  Even though it was unorthodox, he could agree that the color complimented the flowers well.

Once she had the flowers in water, she smiled at Genesis and gestured to the door.  “Would you mind giving me a moment?  I’ll be right out.”

He gave her a slight smile and a nod, but it turned to a smirk when he caught sight of the look Zack was giving him.  Kris didn’t miss the fact and shook her head.  She was going to have to say something before it caused problems.  A large part of her felt defensive for her brother, and she hoped that it was just Genesis trying to provoke Zack because it was humorous for himself and not out of a complete lack of respect on the Commander’s part.

Once he was outside, Kris turned to Zack.  “Look, I know you don’t like this, and I really appreciate what you have been trying to do for me.  But please, for my sake, at least try to not look like you want to kill him every time you see him.  I promise you will be the first person I tell if I feel like he’s being an ass to me.  Okay?”

Zack’s shoulder’s slumped, but he gave her a nod.  Kris shook her head at the kicked puppy look he was giving her before she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.  “I love you, tadpole, don’t forget that.”  He rolled his eyes before he shot her a grin, and she felt a little better.

“I know.  Just be careful, okay?”

She gave him a nod and turned to the door.  She paused with her hand on the knob.  “I don’t know how late I’ll be, so don’t wait up.  I don’t want you to have trouble tomorrow.”  He grimaced again but gave her a nod as she walked out.

Once she closed the door, she suppressed a sigh at the sight of Genesis leaning against the side of the cab.  She almost considered telling him she was done with the whole thing.  Even though she did enjoy spending time with him, she wasn’t sure it was worth it if it bothered her brother that much.  Those thoughts lasted until she drew even with him, and he caught her hand.  She didn’t have time to react before he brought her hand up and brushed his lips across her knuckles.  Her tongue was suddenly struck still as he smiled down at her.  He brushed a strand of hair back off her face as he spoke. 

“You look lovely.  It soothes my soul after being amid Soldiers for so long.”

Kris finally shook off her shock at his exaggeration and shook her head with a chuckle.  “I think you have a silver tongue and I need to watch myself.  Though, I will admit that I missed you a bit too.”

He leaned in a little, and his smile took on a devious glint.  “I would be happy to demonstrate just how skillful I am.”

It didn’t take Kris more than half a second to figure out what he meant.  She felt her face heat again, but she quickly turned away to hide it.  “Shouldn’t we be on our way?”  She heard Genesis chuckle behind her before he smoothly reached around her and opened the door. 

The first part of their ride was quiet as Kris tried to get herself under control.  It wasn’t until they were almost to the restaurant that she turned to him.  “Genesis, there is something that I need to talk to you about.”

He raised a brow at her tone.  “That sounds rather serious.  In my experience, when a woman says she wants to talk, it is rarely beneficial for me.”

Kris rolled her eyes at him.  She could tell that he was only teasing.  “Seriously.  It’s about my brother.”  At those words, Genesis’ face instantly turned thoughtful.  Kris wasn’t sure what to think, but she hoped that it at least meant that he understood it was no laughing matter.  When he didn’t say anything, she took it as leave to continue.  “I know you are aware that Zack isn’t thrilled that I agreed to see you.  I also know that it might be a little awkward since you are one of his commanding officers, but I need to know if you really have no respect for him at all.”

Genesis let out a small sigh and gently took her hand.  “I apologize if I have ever given you that impression.  I could tell from our first meeting that the two of you have a close relationship, and I do not want to make you feel as if you must choose.  I may find it easy to tease him, but I do not mean anything serious by it.  He has more potential than any Soldier since Angeal, and I joined.  He is still young, but despite what you may believe, I think he could go far as he matures.”

Kris gently pulled her hand back as she sighed.  She looked out the window for a few moments before she responded.  “I want to believe you.  I really do, but I can’t tell if you are just saying that to make me feel better or if you mean it.”

He didn’t respond right away, and he didn’t get a chance to before they pulled up to the restaurant.  She heard him grumble under his breath as he got out, but she couldn’t hear what he said.  She allowed him to help her out, and she stood to the side as he tipped the driver.  When he turned to her, he took both of her hands, and his expression seemed out of place, as it was utterly stoic.

“I understand that trust is something that is not granted overnight.  I will endeavor to tone down my teasing, but it would be unrealistic for me to say that I will cut it out entirely.  I want you to know that part of my motivation is to get in your good graces; I would be lying if I said it wasn’t, but that does not mean I do not believe what I said about your brother either.  The world is not simply black and white.”

Kris felt her jaw clench, but she didn’t say anything right away.  Finally, she sighed and nodded.  “I understand.  I said I would give you time, and so I suppose time will tell.”

At her words, he smiled softly and squeezed her hands gently before he tucked one into the crook of his arm and turned them to the entrance.  They both stopped suddenly at the sight of Angeal and Sephiroth walking toward them.  The two Soldiers looked as surprised to see the couple as  Kris was to see them.  That fact hadn’t sunk in before she greeted them though.  “General Sephiroth, Commander Hewley, it’s good to see you both again, but I hadn’t thought you would be here as well.”

Sephiroth gave her a confused look, but Angeal was quicker on the uptake.  He smiled as he looked between them.  “This is just a happy coincidence.  I’m glad to see you are doing well, but Sephiroth and I just happened to be passing by, that’s all.”

Kris heard Genesis grumble next to her again, and had to bite the inside of her cheek as she picked up part of it.  He apparently was not happy to see his friends at the moment.  Kris could hazard a guess as to why.  She didn’t get to say anything before Sephiroth spoke.  “Ah, Angeal was correct.  We knew that Genesis was occupied tonight, but we didn’t know you would be with him.  It is a good thing I ran into you though.  There is something I wanted to speak with you about.”

Kris stared at him in confusion.  What could the leader of Shinra’s armed forces need to talk to her about?  She didn’t get a chance to ask before Genesis spoke up.  “While I am sure you feel whatever you need to speak to her about is important, it will have to wait.  We are here to enjoy ourselves, and that means no talk about work.”

Kris was shocked when Genesis’ rebuke didn’t make the General angry.  Instead, he gave them a wry look.  “I apologize.”  He then smiled at Kris.  “Do you think you would have time to come by my office sometime tomorrow?  Any time after 10:00 would work.”

Kris had to fight to keep from looking at Genesis.  Part of her wanted to see if he had any more clues than she did on what this was about.  She tamped down on the urge and smiled back.  “Of course.  I’m off tomorrow, so I guess I’ll see you after 10:00.”

At her agreement, both Sephiroth and Angeal gave the couple smiles and wished them a fun time before they continued on down the sidewalk and entered a building a few doors down.  Genesis still didn’t look thrilled to have run into them when he led her into the restaurant.  She hoped his slight scowl wasn’t the reason the maitre d’ jumped to attention and nearly ran to find them an empty table.

Once they were ensconced in a booth near the back, Genesis’ scowl fell away, and he smiled at her again.  Kris almost shook her head.  Their date had gotten off to a rocky start, and she wished that hadn’t been the case.  She hadn’t been lying when she told him she had missed him a little.

 Much to her delight, things started picking up almost as soon as their drinks arrived.  It wasn’t long at all until he managed to coax laughter from her.  The longer the night waned, the better she felt.  It was much later than she had anticipated before he finally sighed and stood.  He held a hand out to her to help her to her feet, and she smiled at the gesture.  She almost wished the night didn’t have to end, but she was confident in the feeling that there would be other nights like this one.

When he dropped her off, he helped her out once more, and this time she let him.  He hesitated for a few moments before he wrapped her in a loose hug.  It took a moment for Kris to respond, but when she wrapped her arms around him as well, he gently kissed the top of her head.  She almost thought she had imagined it, except for the fact that it lingered.  His voice was soft when he whispered in her ear.  “There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the Goddess.  My dear, I am already looking forward to our next excursion together.”

Kris laughed a little as she finally pulled back.  When he caught her hands, she allowed it and smiled up at him.  “Me too.”

It took more willpower than she thought it would to let go and turn to her house.  She waved back to him as she said goodbye and watched him finally leave.  She was still smiling as she made her way to a shower and bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a bit of a transition chapter, but I really wanted to outline Kris' relationships with the rest of the team. This is a start to that, and the next chapter will cover part of it as well. Although, by the end of it things will really start to snowball. We are already almost to February 2000, so you all know that it won't be long until it starts getting real. For now, I hope you enjoy the fluff. Thanks!


	17. Chapter 17

##  **Chapter 17**

The next morning, Kris was woken by the sound of Zack in the shower.  She stretched languidly and grinned as she pushed herself out of bed and toward the kitchen.  She had barely finished the bacon when Zack came into the kitchen.  He patted her on the head and jumped to the side as she tried to poke him before he grabbed a piece of bacon.  He ignored her huff as he rummaged in the refrigerator for the jar of juice.

She had already moved on by the time he stood.  It wasn’t until she turned to serve everything that she noticed he was leaning against the table and staring at her.  She didn’t need to say anything.  She just raised a brow at his look.  He grinned before he took the pan and sat down.  He didn’t speak until after he gestured for her to sit too.

“I heard you humming in the shower last night.”

That had been the last thing she expected to hear.  She felt her cheeks redden, but she ignored it as she answered.  “Sorry if I woke you.”

Zack shook his head and sighed.  He leaned back and gave her a half-smile.  “Don’t worry, you didn’t.” 

Kris didn’t know what to say to that, so she just nodded.  Zack chuckled, but it didn’t sound like his usual laugh.  He was shaking his head when she looked back up again.  She gave him a curious look, but she didn’t have to wait long.  “You’re happy when you’re with him, aren’t you?”

Kris didn’t need to ask who he was talking about.  She felt her stomach churn a little as she nodded.  She really didn’t want to fight with her brother about it again and felt almost guilty that she enjoyed Genesis’ company as much as she did.  She was shocked when Zack just nodded.

It wasn’t until he handed the pan of eggs over to her that he spoke again.  “I still don’t like the idea that he might just leave you high and dry, but I won’t keep trying to split you up.  You deserve to be happy, even if it’s just for a little while.”

Kris suddenly felt tears prick her eyes, and she ignored his look as she got up and grabbed him around the neck.  It was only a few seconds before he started protesting that she was squeezing the life out of him and pushed her off.  When she let go, he was giving her his typical grin, though.  Kris had never been so happy to see it.  “Thanks.”

Zack shook his head and made a mock sound of disgust as he gently pushed her back toward her own chair.  “Don’t thank me.  I still plan on killing him if he hurts you.  I just won’t say anything until it happens.”

Kris could tell that he was only partially joking, but it made her laugh anyway.  She was just glad that both the men in her life had finally decided to quit acting like territorial wolves.  She hoped it signaled good times to come. 

When she sat back down, she grinned at him.  If he could compromise, so could she.  A little anyway.  “Don’t worry that it means I plan to stiff you and the guys.  It’ll still be nice to go out with friends too.”

Zack shot her a full-blown grin at that.  Kris shook her head and pointed to his plate.  “Eat up.  You’ll be late.”  He gave her a mock salute before he dug in with gusto.  When he got up to leave, Kris was humming again while she washed the dishes.

* * *

 

It was nearly 10:30 before Kris remembered that she had told Sephiroth that she would come visit him.  She swore to herself as she jumped up and managed to get ready in record time.  She still had no idea what the request was about, but she added a little make-up, just in case.  It was better to be safe than sorry.

When she got to the Shinra building, she almost went straight to the Soldier floor, but she remembered at the last minute that she had only ever been to Angeal’s office.  She was sure that Sephiroth’s should be close to that area, but she didn’t know for sure.  She sighed as she veered to the receptionist's desk instead.  She hated dealing with the hormonal females if she didn’t have to.  After her first few visits to Zack, she avoided them if she could.

She plastered on a fake smile as she made it to the desk.  She didn’t wait for the woman to ask what her business was before she spoke.  “General Sephiroth is expecting me this morning.  Could you please point me to his office.”

The woman gave her a doubtful sneer, but Kris just raised a brow.  “I’m sure you can verify if you need to.”

The woman huffed at the reminder of her job duties, but she efficiently dialed a number.  It was only a matter of moments before the woman hung up and shot Kris a glare.  Her voice showed her irritation when she gave instruction on where to go.  Kris shot her a grin as she thanked her and walked away.  It took all she had not to laugh at the woman’s grumbling.  She could only imagine how much worse it would have been if they knew that she was dating Genesis.  Or maybe not.  From the woman’s actions, she was probably a die-hard Silver Elite member.

She was still smiling when she made it to Sephiroth’s office and knocked.  When he bid her enter, he raised a brow at her smile and gave her one in return.  “I’m glad to see you in good spirits this morning.  Hopefully, that will bode well for my request.”

Kris felt her smile slip a little, but his expression was still genial when he gestured for her to take a seat.  She shook her head and sat before she raised her brows and gave him a curious look.  “So, what is this about anyway?”

He leaned back a little.  “I’ll get right to the point.  I know you have already told several of us that you do not feel you would fit well within any branch of the military.  However, I feel that you are incredibly talented, and I would hate for that talent to go to waste.”

Kris opened her mouth to object, but Sephiroth held up a hand.  “Please allow me to finish first.”

Kris’ brows drew down a little as she snapped her mouth shut.  Sephiroth shook his head with a rueful smile.  “Please do not think that we will continue to ask something that you have made yourself clear on.”  When he gave her another smile, she tried to relax and gave him a nod.

 “Thank you.  This may sound strange, but I feel that with what you have already taught Soldier Fair, that you may also have a talent for training.  I would like to ask you to consider becoming a consultant.  You can train our Thirds in hand-to-hand and maneuverability.”

Once he finished speaking, Kris stared at him for several moments without a sound.  She opened her mouth several times but snapped it shut each time as she couldn’t find the words.  Finally, she shook her head.  “I am not enhanced.  How could that possibly be a good idea?”

Sephiroth smiled at the fact that she hadn’t turned him down immediately.  “You have already proven that you are more than a match for the average Third.  Their enhancements are minimal.  As Soldiers, we are taught armed melee, but I have seen that many of the lower ranks are too rigid.  They could only benefit from being taught to think on their feet and expect the unexpected.  Would you at least think about it?”

Kris swallowed several times as she tried to process the request.  Finally, she frowned at him.  “Even if I was interested, I already have a job that I don’t want to leave.”

Sephiroth nodded.  That was an objection he had expected as well.  “I am aware.  I also know that you only work on the three days of the weekend.  I am not asking you to work here full time.  A couple of days a week would be sufficient.”

Kris absently nodded as she looked out into space.  Sephiroth leaned back and gave her the silence to think.  Finally, she shook her head and gave him a hard look.  “If I am to train them, then I expect them to listen.  If there are any that don’t want to, then I will warn you right now that I won’t put up with it.”

Sephiroth tried not to let his smile grow too big.  He gave her a nod.  “Of course.  Discipline is expected, and punishment will closely follow any insubordination.”

Kris gave him a pointed look.  “I was talking about having free rein to handle it myself.  If they are going to be expected to respect me enough to listen, then I will need to have that authority.”

Sephiroth had not been expecting her demand, but he gave her a nod in approval.  She was proving to be more up to the task than he had initially thought, and he had already felt she would be a good fit.  “Of course.  I have no problem with that.”

Kris sighed and leaned back.  His offer was the last thing she had expected, but she had to admit that it was a good one.  She would be able to utilize the skills she enjoyed and still be able to keep the job that she loved.  Plus, even though she would work for Shinra, she wouldn’t be part of the military.  She couldn’t see any downsides.  She didn’t get to vocalize those thoughts before there was a knock at the door.  She saw Sephiroth frown slightly, but he still bade whoever it was to enter.

Kris felt her heart speed up when the door opened to reveal Genesis.  The Crimson Commander wasn’t smiling though.  His gaze softened when he caught her eyes, but he was frowning when he turned to Sephiroth.  “I had hoped that you would speak to me before you spoke to Kristobel, and yet I hadn’t known she was here until I happened to hear she was in your office in passing.”

Kris had to bite her cheek when she saw Sephiroth’s eye twitch.  She could almost picture him rolling his eyes at Genesis’ dramatics.  She wanted to give him kudos when he kept a straight face as he answered.  “I didn’t feel it was necessary, as it is her decision to make.”

He then turned from Genesis and focused on Kris.  “Please feel free to take your time to decide.  I understand it is probably unexpected.”

Kris stood with a grin and shook her head.  “That’s okay.  I think this could be a great opportunity.  It actually sounds fun.  When do you want me to start?”

Both men stared at her in shock.  Genesis had no idea what she had just agreed to, but he knew it had to have something to do with Soldier, and there was no way that could be good.  Sephiroth was simply shocked that she had agreed so quickly.

Sephiroth recovered swiftly, though, and gave her a smile that could almost be considered a grin.  “Next week.  I know Monday and Friday will not work, so how does Tuesday and Thursday sound?  The class can start at whatever hour you feel is best.”

Kris gave him a nod.  “That sounds great.  I’m usually up early, so we can start at 08:00.  Unless that’s too early.”

Sephiroth held out his hand, and Kris took it so they could shake.  “That is perfect.  I will meet you here a little early on Tuesday morning to take care of all the paperwork and introduce you to your new students.”

She flashed him a grin.  “Great!  I’ll see you at 07:30 then!”

When she turned to Genesis, she could tell that he was still fighting to hold his tongue, but she was thankful when he merely opened the door for her.  When they were in the hall, he gestured for her to follow him into an office next door to Sephiroth’s.  She noted that it was two down from Sephiroth’s and next to Angeal’s.  That put Angeal right in the middle.  It was a humorous thought, but it was fleeting as Genesis closed the door.

She was just glad that he waited until the door clicked shut before he said anything.  “From what I gathered, am I to understand that you are now a Shinra employee, despite your protests that you did not want to be?”

Kris felt her enthusiasm wane slightly, but it was momentary.  She gave him a hard look.  “I said that I didn’t think I would fit in the military.  I was asked to be a consultant a couple days a week and teach hand-to-hand.  I will not be directly answerable to anyone other than Sephiroth, and I have the authority to handle misbehavers.  I won’t actually be part of the military.  I think it’s a good deal.”

They stared at each other in silence for several moments after her declaration.  Finally, Genesis shook his head with a wry grin and took her hands with a gentle squeeze.  “I suppose I should thank Sephiroth for the opportunity to see you more often.”

Kris wasn’t sure how to react.  After his little mini-tantrum, she had expected a different answer.  Her brows drew down in a slight frown.  “That’s it?  After all that, you’re just glad to have time to see me more?”

He gave a little shrug.  “It is not my decision to make.  Besides, I believe your assessment was correct.  Plus, it is an excellent opportunity for me.”

Kris still didn’t look convinced.  “Then why did you yell at Sephiroth?”

He gave her a smirk.  “I simply did not like the fact that he felt the need to speak with you and not at least inform me that you were here.”  He then lifted one of her hands and brushed his lips across her knuckles.  “I had also hoped that you would have come to see me first.  Call it male pride.”

Kris knew she should probably be irritated at him still, but his honesty disarmed her.  She shook her head with a slight chuckle.  “Well, at least try to curb that tendency.  I would have made a point to see you before I left.  How can I make any gestures of my own if you never give me a chance.”

His eyes glinted at her words, and he gave her a smirk before he took a step closer and into her personal bubble.  “Oh?  And what sort of gesture did you have in mind?”

Kris felt her cheeks blaze, but forced her feet not to move, even though his proximity was making her senses go haywire.  She did put her hands up to stop him from coming any closer.  She hadn’t considered what having them on his chest would do to her though.  She was able to ignore it long enough to smirk back at him.  “Not the kind you are insinuating.  At least not yet.”

He quirked a brow at her but didn’t push further.  As embarrassed as Kris felt at his teasing and her reactions to it, she felt a thrill of excitement at the slight smirk she got in response to her own taunt.  Still, she was thankful when he moved to lean against his desk.  “Well, I suppose I will simply have to learn to have a bit more patience.  Especially if it means I will be rewarded with _gestures_.”  His emphasis on that last word had Kris blushing again, but she was smiling as she shook her head.

She stayed and chatted with him for a few more minutes, and he secured a promise from her to have lunch with him both days of the weekend.  She wasn’t sure how he accomplished it, but she was pleased that he wanted to spend as much time with her as they could manage.  He ended up taking her to lunch at a nearby restaurant before she told him goodbye.

Kris was finding that she enjoyed his company more every time they saw each other.  Her enjoyment wasn’t even dimmed when they were nearly mobbed by a group of women as they were leaving the restaurant.  Genesis made quick work of extricating the two of them from the bunch.  It wasn’t until they were almost to the train station that he teased her about being the next headline.  She blanched a little at the thought but shook it off.  She had known that it would happen sometime if they ended up dating for more than a week.  The man was too famous for it not to.  When she thought about it, she realized it had probably already happened at least once.  They had been out in public for dinner the night before.  She didn’t follow the fan clubs though, so it didn’t really affect her.  She shrugged the thought off as best she could.  She would have to get used to it sometime.  It wasn’t until he had her safely ensconced on the train and she waved goodbye that she wondered if he might get into trouble for taking such a long lunch.

* * *

 

By the time Zack made it home that evening, Kris was nearly bouncing in excitement.  She pounced almost as soon as he was in the door.  “Did you hear!?”

The look he gave her clearly showed that he thought she was losing her mind.  “Uh, calm down.  Did I hear what?”

She looked a little crestfallen that he wasn’t already sharing her excitement, but only for a moment.  She started bouncing on the balls of her feet as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the kitchen.  She practically shoved him into a chair before she grabbed the plate she had made for him.

He eyed her and the food for several seconds as he tried to figure out what was going on.  Kris rolled her eyes at the look.  “Just eat while I talk.”

He nearly laughed at the look she was giving him, but the food smelled delicious, and he had never turned down his sister’s cooking yet.  While he started eating, Kris was pacing.  “So, I guess I forgot to mention that General Sephiroth asked me to come talk to him today.”

Zack paused with a bite halfway to his mouth.  “What?”

She waved his question off and continued.  “I was shocked too, but he wanted to offer me a job.”

By that point, Zack’s food was forgotten.  He stood and grabbed her by the shoulders to make her stand still.  “I thought you didn’t want to work for Shinra?”

She shook her head with a smile and pushed him back toward the table.  “Eat.”  He didn’t move right away, so she rolled her eyes and started pacing again.  “I said I didn’t want to work for the military.  This is different.”

When she waved him back to his seat again, Zack reluctantly sat back down.  He watched her excitement and realized she was happy with whatever had happened.  He grinned when she turned back to him.  “So, he wanted to ask me to train the Thirds in hand-to-hand.  I’ll be working with you two days a week.  Well, not with you specifically, but you get the picture.”

“Oh, yeah!”  Zack’s food was forgotten again as he jumped up and grabbed her.  He nearly lifted her off her feet when he hugged her.  She laughed at their shared excitement.  When he put her down, they were grinning at each other.

Kris laughed at her brother’s exuberance on her behalf before she launched into the tale of how everything had happened and what her job would entail.  It was nearly a half-hour later before Zack remembered that he had a half-eaten meal waiting for him.  He eyed the cold plate ruefully but didn’t complain.  The news that life might get a little closer to the way it used to be had both siblings excited, and was well worth a cold meal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I didn't quite get to where I wanted to with this chapter, but the next one has some fluffy goodness. I plan on making the most of it while I can :) I hope you enjoyed. Thanks!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for the last section is 'I Like Me Better' by Lauv

##  **Chapter 18**

When Tuesday morning rolled around, Kris was up even earlier than usual.  As much as she hated to admit it, she was more than a little nervous.  Both Zack and Genesis had tried to reassure her.  They had both seen her skills firsthand and had no doubt that she would be able to handle the Thirds with no issues.  She knew they were correct, too, but that didn’t stop her mind from thinking of all the worst possible outcomes.  By the time she and Zack headed into the building together, he had promised to attend her first class to give her moral support.  She had rolled her eyes and told him it wasn’t necessary, but she was glad that he had insisted.

When they got into the lobby, Kris was shocked to see Sephiroth waiting.  It didn’t last long as he gestured for her to join him.  As petty as she knew her next actions were, she still couldn’t resist turning to see which woman was at the receptionist desk.  When it was the same scowling woman, she gave the irritated woman her best Cheshire cat smile before she joined the Silver General.

He ended up taking her to a set of offices on the 20th floor where she had to fill out more paperwork than she expected to.  Luckily, most of it was simply signing.  A fact that made a distant part of her mind cringe until she at least skimmed through everything.  With her scrutiny, it took longer than she had anticipated to finish, but Sephiroth reassured her that it had been expected, and just for that day, the classes had been postponed.

Once all the red-tape was cleared, he led her up to the 49th floor and into a large room filled with several mats and weapon racks filled with various weapons usually reserved for martial arts.  She raised a brow at the number of practice weapons and turned to Sephiroth.  “I didn’t think Soldier would have that many weapons that weren’t swords.”

He chucked and gave her a wry smile.  “We had to borrow many of them from the Turks.  I have already been told that we now owe them a favor.”

Kris gave him a sympathetic look but didn’t get to comment.  The room was starting to fill with many blue-uniformed men.  Sephiroth and Kris moved to the middle of the room and waited until the top of the hour.  If there were any stragglers after that, then they would be counted as late and face disciplinary action.

Once all the men were seated, Sephiroth took a single step forward.  The little bit is whispering that had been going on, stopped immediately.  Kris had to give it to the man, he had an imposing aura when he wanted to.

When all the men were facing their General, he spoke.  “You have all been sent the briefing for this training.  I will reiterate a few things.  First, the goal is for you to expand your skills.  In that regard, you have been assigned an excellent teacher, even if she is not a Soldier herself.”

“I will also remind you all that in this classroom, she will be the highest authority.  If you think you can question that, then you will pay the consequences.  She has been given full authorization to met out punishment as she sees fit.  Anyone that has an issue with that can bring their grievances directly to me.”

By that time, several of the men were wearing disbelieving looks.  Having a teacher that wasn’t a Soldier was unheard of.  Especially a female.  Some of them had seen her in action already, and many of the others had heard of her, but most of the latter hadn’t fully believed.  Most felt the Commander had gone too easy on her.

Sephiroth was not finished yet though, and those looks were erased as he continued.  “This morning will be spent showing you examples of what you can expect to learn.  After today, you will be divided into four groups.  Each group will have a two-hour session on Tuesdays and Thursdays to maximize the attention to each of your learning levels.”  He paused and looked around.  “Any questions?”

There were a few men that looked like they had something they wanted to ask, but none of them spoke up.  Kris could understand.  If she had actually been a member of Soldier, she doubted she would ever be able to relax around the giant man.  His aura when around the Soldiers was both incredible and terrifying.

When no one said anything, Sephiroth motioned toward the door, and Zack stepped forward with a grin.  Kris found herself grinning back.  She hadn’t expected him to be her partner for the exhibition, but she was glad for that fact. 

When Zack joined them at the front of the group, Sephiroth turned to Kris.  “They’re all yours.”

She gave him a nod and waited until he was out of the room before she spoke.  “You can all address me as Miss Fair.”  There was some whispering at her words, but none of it was loud enough for Kris to understand, so she continued.  “While you are in this room, I expect your undivided attention.  If I feel that you are not giving your best, we will have words.  I do not think of myself as a disciplinarian, but I will not tolerate disrespect.  Whether it is toward me, or your peers makes no difference.”

At that, there were finally several yes ma’ams.  Kris looked over the assembled men and had to quash the urge to shake a little.  None of them could ever be considered small, but she reminded herself that she had been going against Zack for years and was more than capable of handling this.  She stiffened her knees and nodded to them all.  “Alright, I want you all to make a loose circle around the middle mat.  Soldier Fair and I will be giving you a demonstration.  Afterward, you will be free to ask questions.  Thursday will be the start of your regularly scheduled classes.”

Several of the men stood and started to shuffle to the area she had indicated, but many of the others still looked unsure.  Kris frowned.  “I said, move!”

Several of the men jumped at her booming command.  Even Zack took an unconscious step to the side, but only one.  After the shock, he gave her a grin.  He was used to it, but he was looking forward to what the rest of them would think.  His sister might be small, but she was only slightly less intimidating than the Firsts when she set her mind to it.

Once the men had formed a circle around Zack and Kris, they both moved to grab a staff and reentered.  When they faced off against each other, Kris felt a surge of adrenaline.  She raised a brow at her brother before she spoke.  “Do not hold back much.  I need you to at least be as fast as a Third or this demonstration will be pointless.”

Zack felt a little worry.  He had still not sparred against Kris since he joined Soldier, and didn’t want to hurt her.  When she frowned at his delay, he nearly jumped, but he gave her a nod.  For now, he needed to put his personal feelings aside.  This was about more than a regular spar with his sister.

At his nod, the siblings both started circling each other.  Neither wanted to be the first to move.  Finally, Kris decided that they were not going to get anywhere unless she did something.  She didn’t have time to dawdle.

The one thing that had been consistent throughout Zack’s training with Kris had been the fact that she always changed things up.  There were many strikes she used that he would recognize once she moved, but he could never anticipate what she would open with.  It was one of the reasons he was almost always off balance.  If she got any advantage, she did her best to not let it go.

This spar was no exception.  Instead of her leaping attack that added heft, she ran before skidding low and striking with a jab at one of his knees.  Zack jumped back quickly.  If he had still been unenhanced, he would probably be walking with a limp for a few days.  He shook that thought off as she rolled past him and aimed for his open back.  He spun around and managed to stop the blow with his own staff.

Both siblings jumped back and grinned.  Zack had been improving before he joined Soldier, but now, the playing field was far more narrow.  Kris wasn’t sure that she could win against her brother for the first time, and the thought shot adrenaline through her veins.

At that point, the two of them became a blur of motion.  Kris had always been faster, but now Zack was easily able to keep up.  Kris laughed when she jumped and narrowly missed being hit by a sweeping blow to her middle.

Zack paused when he saw that he had almost hit her, but Kris took advantage of it and called to him while she struck at him.  “Don’t lose focus.  You might be faster now, but that just means you’re finally catching up!”

Zack jumped to the side and parried her blow.  He had been holding back some, and his near strike was a reminder that he couldn’t afford to lose focus.  He was both shocked and awed that he didn’t need to hold back as much as he thought he would.  He started to get distracted by thoughts of what that meant about his sister and their past matches, but he was quickly pulled back to the present when her staff nearly took off his nose.

After nearly twenty minutes, Kris finally called the match.  She was sweaty and breathing hard.  She looked at Zack with envy.  He was a little winded, but otherwise showed no signs of being affected.  She realized that part of it was the fact that she was out of practice.  Still, she gave him a sardonic look once she stood.  He grinned at her, but she ignored it.

Instead, she turned to look out at the circle of men that surrounded them.  She was shocked to see most of them were looking at her with either confusion or awe.  A good part of her surprise was the reminder that their spar had been for a purpose.  That thought had her clearing her throat so she could address the men.  “So, now that you have seen what a properly trained hand-to-hand fighter can accomplish, even against an enhanced Soldier, do any of you have questions?”

There was a pregnant pause, but finally, one of the Soldiers stood.  He immediately stood at attention before he spoke.  “Ma’am, pardon me if this sounds disrespectful, but-“  He paused and took a quick peek at her face before he stood straight again.  “Ma’am, are you sure you aren’t enhanced?”

She stared at him in shock as his question caused a wave of murmurs.  Part of her reasoned that it wasn’t surprising considering the fact that she could keep up with a Second, mostly, but she had been faster than him before.  It was all due to hard work.

She didn’t get a chance to respond before Zack laughed and flung an arm around her shoulder.  “Nope.  Trust me when I say that it is only my enhancements that let me even stand a chance.  There is a reason the upper ranks felt it was okay to have her train you guys.  You’re in great hands.”

Kris tried not to glare at her brother as she pushed his arm off her shoulders.  She straightened to her full 5’2’’ and tried to recompose herself.  “Despite his ease, Soldier Fair is correct.  I am not enhanced, but I have spent most of my life honing my skills.  It is a matter of dedication and perseverance.”  She paused and looked around again.  She had to smother a smile at the mostly speechless men.

She had a feeling swelling inside that made her feel like she could take on the world at the way they were looking at her.  She tamped it down, as she knew it would only lead to trouble before she cleared her throat and continued.  “These are the skills that I am here to teach you.”

She shot Zack a glare from the side of her eyes, and he got the hint.  He put the staff away and moved to stand beside the door so she could focus on her students.  Once he was out of the picture, more of the men stepped forward.  It wasn’t long until Kris was nearly overwhelmed with questions that ranged from the martial arts styles she knew, to how many years it took her to hone her skills. 

After the first wave of questions passed, Kris divided the men into small groups and had them demonstrate their skills.  She needed a baseline to advise Sephiroth how the classes should be divided.  She wanted to have the men put into classes with others of similar skill levels.  It was a few hours later that she finally dismissed them.  By that time, she was satisfied that she had made the right choice.

* * *

 

Kris had been a little disappointed that Genesis had not checked on her class.  It wasn’t until later that she found out he had come in several times to watch but had not announced himself.  He reasoned that he didn’t want to undermine her authority.  As unexpected as that had been, Kris had to admit that it was appreciated.  She hadn’t had any problems yet, but she knew that it was probable that she would have to deal with something at some point.

Sephiroth had taken her advice when he divided the Thirds into their classes, with only a couple of exceptions.  He explained that some of the men would cause trouble if put together.  That was something that Kris didn’t have insight into yet, so she didn’t challenge his decisions.  By the end of her second week of teaching, she was glad to see that it worked out for the best.

Sephiroth had been correct.  The Thirds were rigid, and for the first few weeks, Kris’ focus was on making them learn to read their opponent and think on their feet.  Too many of them were cocky to the point of thinking they didn’t need to worry about anyone that wasn’t enhanced.  Kris constantly challenged that viewpoint, much to their chagrin.  Not much was taught about the physical part, but that would come later.

Kris was so busy that she had almost forgotten about the special showing of Loveless that Genesis had invited her to.  It wasn’t that she didn’t see him often, but it wasn’t until he brought it up the week before that she realized she had not done any shopping.

Since Monday and Wednesday were her only days off, and Monday’s were usually for recovery, Kris decided to take Wednesday to find something to wear.  It wasn’t until that morning that she realized she had no female friends to ask for advice.  As much as the idea embarrassed her, she decided to reach out to Genesis to see if he would be free during lunch.  He was more than happy to accommodate and even had suggestions for where she should shop.  Kris wasn’t sure what to think of the fact that he was on top of women’s fashion.  She did know that he liked to be dashing, so it wasn’t such a stretch if she thought about it.

Their trip was tense at first because Kris refused to pick out a dress.  She would not budge on that fact though, so Genesis relented and helped her pick out a soft pantsuit with flowing bottoms and a soft top.  It was a compromise that he was pleased with after he finally saw it on her.  The fabric accentuated her slim curves and showed her athletic body off to perfection.  Part of him wished that no one else would see her in the outfit, though a more substantial part would be pleased to be seen with her.

Kris was glad that she had been forced to finish so quickly.  Genesis had to get back, and she hated shopping.  Maybe it was a good thing that she didn’t have female friends to get mired with at stores.  She chuckled as she waved goodbye to her boyfriend as she realized that she was definitely different from any other woman he might know.  Whether that was a good thing or not remained to be seen.

* * *

 

It was the following Wednesday that the show was scheduled.  Since it was an invite-only showing, the weeknight was not a problem.  Genesis picked Kris up a little early so they could have a light meal.  He explained that they would serve small items throughout the show as well, so a full meal was not necessary.

Kris had put in more effort than usual since it was going to be a formal environment, and was nervous about it.  She was slightly out of her comfort level and hoped she hadn’t gone so far as to be garish.  She almost felt that way, but Zack had assured her that wasn’t the case.  It wasn’t until Genesis laid eyes on her and froze that she realized, maybe her brother wasn’t entirely biased.  It wasn’t just his silence, but his eyes had raked over her in a possessive way.  She felt her cheeks heat under that gaze for the first time in weeks.

Kris couldn’t make her feet move, so it was Genesis that finally composed himself and swiftly moved to take her hands.  He looked her over for several more seconds before he leaned and lightly kissed her cheek before he whispered.  “There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the Goddess.  You are lovely enough to steal my breath away.”  Kris grinned despite herself and squeezed his hands.  That was the reaction she had been hoping for, and it boosted her confidence that she had managed it.  She violently pushed aside her worries that it was superficial and temporary. 

She had every intention of making the most of their night out.  She had already had to deal with his crazy fans, but luckily, it wasn’t often.  They hadn’t figured out where she worked yet, so it was only a problem when they were together in public.  Usually, a well-placed glare by Genesis was enough to dissuade the worst of them.  Being able to enjoy the time she had with him was the thing that made it worthwhile.

By the time they made it the theatre, Genesis had managed to make Kris forget that she had been nervous in the first place.  There was no line when they got there, but a man was standing just inside the entrance.  He gave the two of them a slight bow as Genesis handed their tickets over.  The man bowed again as he gestured to the stairs.

When they entered the balcony, Kris was amazed by the layout.  She walked to the edge and looked down.  There were no people in the gallery below, but from what she could see, there were many balconies, and they were almost all occupied, a special showing indeed.  She briefly wondered what the performers thought about the setup, but it fled when Genesis pulled her back to their seats.

It was only a few moments after they were seated that another man entered their box and offered them refreshments.  Kris was so caught up in thoughts of what was coming, and the magnificent architecture around her, that she didn’t think as she responded.  She also didn’t notice the way Genesis was watching her.  It wasn’t until the man returned that she finally noted his soft smile as she settled beside him.  She blushed at the look he was giving her, but both their attention was pulled to the stage as the lights dimmed.

For the next three hours, Kris was literally on the edge of her seat.  Even though it was a play, it wasn’t long until she was engrossed.  By the time the lights went back up, she was blotting at her eyes frantically, trying to keep the makeup she had put so much effort into from being ruined.  She turned a wet glare to Genesis when she heard him chuckle.

He was shaking his head, but he was still smiling when he held out his hand.  “Why don’t you allow me?”

She gave him a confused look until he glanced down at the handkerchief he had lent her.  Understanding lit her eyes, and she felt her cheeks heat again as she handed it back and closed her eyes.  He gently wiped away the evidence of her tears.

Kris’ blood had started heating as soon as he touched her.  Despite the fact that they had technically been dating for nearly two months, she still had not worked up the courage to allow more than a kiss on her cheek.  That didn’t mean that she didn’t want it.  The way her senses were singing at his touch was becoming near torture.  She tried not to think about it as he finished and stepped back.

When she opened her eyes, he was smirking at her.  “There.  Good as new.”

She raised a brow and gave him a disbelieving look.  His smirk deepened as he tilted his head.  “Was it so bad?”

She chuckled and shook her head.  “It was far from bad, but it was bittersweet.  At least the lovers have hope that they will be reunited.  It was just so-“  She paused as she tried to find the words.  “The bonds they all share are unbreakable.  They were bent and pulled apart but never broken.  It was beautiful.”

Kris had to blink a few more times to keep new tears from falling.  Genesis’ smirk had softened into a charming smile as he took her hand.  She allowed him to lead her out.  Once they were on the street, he paused.  She looked up with curiosity.  It was already late, and they both had work in the morning, so she was unsure what to think when he turned to her with a glint in his eyes.

“Kristobel, would you allow me the chance to share something with you?”

The part of her that was worried about work was small and quickly faded at the look he was giving her.  She smiled and nodded.  “That sounds intriguing.”

“Intriguing?  Hmm, I suppose that is accurate enough.”

Kris could tell that he was purposely trying to further her interest, so she just quirked a brow at him.  He shook his head before he tucked her hand into his arm and headed to the city center.  It wasn’t until he started up the steps to the Shinra headquarters that she pulled away and gave him a hard look.  “Genesis, I know-“  She had to swallow before she could finish.  “I know that we have been together for some time, but I am not going to your apartment.  I have no problem telling you that I am not ready for that.”

When he only chuckled at her, she shot him a confused glare.  When she still didn’t move, he cupped her chin and smiled down at her.  “Dearest, I have already gathered that I will have to have patience.  However, taking you to my bed was not my intention.”

She felt her blush deepen at his bluntness.  She searched his eyes, and when all she could see was the twinkle of his humor, she sighed and shook her head.  “Fine, but if you’re fibbing, I promise that you will be walking funny tomorrow.”

He laughed at her threat and tucked her hand into his arm again.  “Duly noted.”

She allowed herself to be led into the elevators.  He punched the button for the 64th floor, and she gave him a curious look.  She knew he had an apartment on the Soldier floor, so her curiosity was piqued at the fact that they were going higher.  She had never been higher than the employee lounge on the 61st floor.

Before they got there, he turned to her with a half-smile and asked her to close her eyes.  Kris wasn’t sure what to think, but she realized that she trusted him, despite her earlier teasing.  She closed her eyes.  Her breath caught in her throat when he stepped up behind her and leaned to whisper in her ear.

“I will need to carry you.”

Kris swallowed thickly but gave him a nod.  She heard the elevator ding open and resisted the urge to peek as he swept her up into his arms.  It was the most intimate position they had been in, and all her senses were heightened at her self-imposed blindness.  When he whispered again, it took all her willpower not to gasp.  “Put your arms around my neck and don’t let go.”

She did as she was told.  For several moments, all she could hear was the steady rhythm of Genesis’ boots striking the floor as he headed down the corridor.  After a few moments, there was a swish, like a door opening, and the feeling of wind assaulted her senses as well.  She almost opened her eyes but was caught off guard when Genesis spoke again.  “You will need to hold on tight.  I promise I will not drop you, but it will be easier if you help.”

Kris suddenly wondered what the hell he was up to that might make him drop her.  When she felt him jump, she swallowed a shriek and buried her head in his chest.  He had said to hold on tight, so she hoped he wouldn’t complain about her death grip.  It was probably only a few seconds later that he came to a stop.  She wanted to open her eyes and see why the wind was blowing through her hair, but she had promised not to.  She did relax her hold a little as he shuffled around.

He must have finally gotten to where he wanted to go, as he sat down with Kris in his lap.  The change in positions had her cheeks flaming again, but she did her best to ignore it as he finally told her to open her eyes.  She slowly opened them and had to blink a few times.  She let go of an involuntary gasp as she looked out over the city stretched below them.

The shining lights were so far below that they were only pricks of brightness in a dark blanket that stretched out all around them.  She was so awed by the sight that it took her a moment to take in the fact that they were on the outside of the building and sitting on an outcropping near the top.  Her arms tightened reflexively, even though she knew he had a firm hold on her.

She breathed through a sudden sense of vertigo as she looked up at his face.  He was looking out at the lights as well.  When she turned, he finally looked down, and her breath caught in her throat at the look in his eyes.  There was a fire burning in them that she had never seen before.  It didn’t dim as he smiled down at her.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

She nodded silently and looked out again before she looked back.  “It almost looks like stars below us.  It’s the most beautiful thing I have seen since coming here.  I didn’t know Midgar could ever be so lovely.”

He chuckled at her assessment of the city and looked out again.  “I agree.  It is the closest thing to stars that I have seen since I left Banora.  I found this place by accident, but I come here whenever I need a reminder of home.  It comforts me.”

Kris froze in his arms as she realized the significance of what he had just told her.  It took her several tries before she could speak.  “If this place is so special, why did you bring me?”

He blinked down at her with confusion.  The light in his eyes dimmed a little as he searched for the words.  A slight frown flitted across his face as he looked at her and finally answered.  “I am unsure.  I simply thought you would be able to appreciate the beauty.”

Kris felt that squirming feeling inside writhe harder.  She could hear the breathless note to her own voice when she spoke again but didn’t care.  “I do.  Thank you.”

The fire that had dimmed from his eyes was suddenly back, and Kris had a hard time breathing as her gaze flicked down to his mouth.  She realized that she had never wanted something as much as she hoped those lips would find their way onto hers.

As if he could read her mind, Genesis leaned down.  Kris closed her eyes as his lips brushed lightly over hers.  It was such a feathery touch that she almost missed it.  She sighed as he pulled back, but didn’t have the chance to open her eyes before the pressure was back with more force.

It was the sweetest torture that she could imagine.  Genesis slowly applied a bit more pressure as he moved to hold her closer to himself.  One of Kris’ hands that had been wrapped around his neck shifted to play with the strands of hair at her fingertips.  When he moved one hand further up her back and cupped her face with the other, Kris could not hold in a gasp.

Genesis expertly took advantage of that motion, and Kris suddenly felt like she was drowning as his tongue flitted in to taste her.  She couldn’t seem to get enough breath, even though he didn’t press so far as to keep her from it.  As the kiss deepened, Kris tasted the wine they had shared earlier and wondered if that was why she suddenly felt drunk.

When he finally pulled back, Kris took several deep breaths.  He still held her close, and when she could focus, she was shocked to see that he seemed to be just as affected as she felt.  His eyes held a slightly glazed look, but the fire that had taken her breath before was flaring with a hunger that made her feel weak in the knees.  It was a good thing they were already seated.

Genesis also had to take a deep breath before he could speak.  He put his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.  “Dearest, please insist that I not take you back to my room.  If you don’t, I am uncertain that I would have the strength to resist.”

A flash of heat raced across her skin at his words.  It started pooling low in her abdomen, and she squirmed uncomfortably.  He opened his eyes at the motion and gave her a wry smile.  “You might want to stop that.”

She froze as she realized how uncomfortable he probably was as well.  Part of her fervently wished that she had the courage to tell him that it didn’t matter, but there was still a fear that it would only invite disaster.  She pushed the feeling down as best as she could and swallowed again before she could make her voice work.  “I would like to stay a little longer, but we can leave if you are ready.”

There was a flash in his eyes that nearly stole her breath again, but she quickly tried to finish before he did something else to steal her wits.  “When we do so, I think it would be best if I go home.  Alone.”

She barely heard the sigh he released, but he sat a little straighter and smiled.  “Then we shall enjoy the night while it lasts.”

Kris felt more than a little cowardly but was able to forget the sensation as they got lost in conversation.  It was hushed and mostly revolved around their respective home towns.  Kris had no idea how long they sat up there and stared at the lights below them as they started going out.  It was never completely dark in the city, but by the time Kris got to the point that she couldn’t stop yawning, the pinpoints were fewer and farther between.

Kris made a point of watching as they descended back to a balcony and walked into an area that looked like a gym.  The descent had her adrenaline pumping again, so she was no longer tired.  Despite her insistence that she could make it home, Genesis refused to allow her to go alone.

When they got to her door, they both hesitated.  Even though she had made the decision to go home, Kris was thrilled when he finally leaned down and brushed his lips across hers.  The kiss was brief and sweet and still managed to leave her burning somehow as she finally made her way inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you all that fluff would abound. Let's all enjoy it while it lasts. We have another chapter or two before we get into Crisis Core, so brace yourselves. Although, hopefully the fluff will be enough to tide us over :) For now, thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

##  **Chapter 19**

After that night, things changed between Genesis and Kris.  It was subtle, but to Kris, it was a source of concern.  In one way, they were better.  Kris was more open and less intimidated.  They were also a bit more physical with each other.  Not that there was any way Kris was ready to be intimate, but there was more than one occasion that she wished she wasn’t so scared of what might happen if she said yes.

That hesitation and fear fed into the flip side.  There was a growing tenseness that she knew would eventually have to be resolved.  She only hoped that when it came down to it, she was ready.  She also felt closer to him, and that frightened her.  She felt like she was being swept away, and the thought of the rocks waiting for her at the bottom were all she could picture.  When she thought about that analogy, she would laugh bitterly to herself.  It gave falling for him a new meaning.  She just hoped she came out relatively unscathed when it happened.

Despite her worries, they spent more time together.  When they were together, it was great.  Kris couldn’t believe that it had been months and he was still as patient with her.  Although there were some times that he needed to leave earlier than before.  She knew the reason why and chastised herself for her cowardice.  With each passing day, she wanted time to stand still. 

At least her classes were going well.  There had been a few hiccups, but overall, the Thirds were great to work with.  Their progress overall was slower than she had expected from Soldiers, but one of the classes was already moving into advanced maneuvers.  She occasionally had a few Seconds come in too.  They were not scheduled to be there, but after the first one showed up, Kris cleared it with Sephiroth.  He had no problem with it.  As far as he was concerned, it only helped his troops become better.

Kris also had to occasionally put up with Tseng dropping by.  He always had a reason for being on the Soldier floor, but he seemed to make sure it was one of the two days she was there.  Or at least, that was how it appeared to her.  She turned him down every time.  She was just glad that he seemed to take it graciously.

The only Turk she spent more time around was Reno.  She still managed to go out with Zack and the others at least every other week, and Reno was always there.  Despite his constant flirting, Kris had come to like the man.  It was hard not to.  He was genial and funny.  Even if he could be obnoxious sometimes, he still had a good heart.  It was hard to see sometimes, but Kris knew it was there.

All and all, her life had gone from driving her crazy with boredom, to feeling that she was almost overwhelmed sometimes.  She loved it, though.  She hadn’t felt as alive in a long time.

Besides Genesis, her only point of concern was the fact that Mr. Alexandros had taken to staying at the store for longer each day.  He didn’t stay all day, but he was there for more than half the day total.  When Kris finally worked up the nerve to ask him about it, she was unsure of how she felt about his answer.  She had told him that she was working part-time with Shinra as soon as she accepted the job, and he had been happy for her, but it wasn’t long after she told him that he started coming in more. 

According to him, it was mostly because he had already finished everything he wanted to get caught up on at home and was bored.  He mentioned in passing that a part of it was also so she wouldn’t get burnt out, but he insisted that it was only a small part of the reason.  When more than two months passed and nothing else changed at the furniture shop, Kris finally relaxed and took him at his word.

Despite her few worries, Kris felt that her life would have been perfect, with just one change.  She hated that the Soldiers would be deployed for weeks at a time.  It wore on her, but she could tell that it wore on them too.  Zack would come back exhausted, and that was saying a lot for a Soldier.  It only took him a day to get back to himself, but Kris hated seeing it. 

Genesis wasn’t much better.  If he had to be gone for more than a week, he was grumpy until he made it back.  Kris sometimes wondered if part of his irritation stemmed from being away from her, and she couldn’t deny that the thought felt good, but she tried not to focus on it, and she never asked him to confirm.  At least he was usually in a much better mood after he was back for a day.

Spring was already well on it’s way to summer and Kris wasn’t sure how time had passed so quickly.  There had been several times that Genesis had asked her about her continued use of pants and long sleeves as the weather warmed, but she always changed the subject.  Her reasoning was at the heart of her personal struggle, and she had no desire to get into it, especially not with him.  She was just glad he didn’t push.  She was also glad that he seemed to like her in pants, at least if his appreciative glances were anything to go by.  It wasn’t like he tried to hide them.

Kris wasn’t sure if it was the season change or not, but the Soldiers seemed to be deployed more often.  Almost all of her friends, including the two men closest to her were out of town at the same time.  They were on different missions too.  Genesis had called her earlier in the day and told her he was on his way back, but he sounded tired.  She would be glad when he could rest a little.  Angeal and Zack were also on a mission together on the Western Continent.  She hadn’t heard from her brother for more than a day, and she hoped that meant he was on his way back and not in trouble somewhere.  That night, when she went to bed, she tried not to worry about them all, but they were still on her mind when she finally fell asleep.

* * *

 

Genesis sighed as the transport he was in came into sight of the walls of Midgar.  It was still the middle of the night, and he was ready for his bed, even if sleep seemed to be eluding him more often in recent days.  The war in Wutai was escalating again.  None of the Soldiers had been deployed yet, but he knew it was only a matter of time.  The Wutainese must have known it as well since there were reports of their spies much closer to home than they had ever dared go before.  He was just getting back from one such wild goose chase.  Being sent out and not being able to come back with concrete results was even worse than failing.  Were the reports all false?  Were there still spies at large?  Either way, he knew they were likely to get more before everything was settled.

He groaned and shifted to try and find a more comfortable position as they trundled through the quiet city streets.  Even if Midgar never slept, there were still hours early in the morning that made the city almost feel like a ghost town.  As he shifted, he noticed that they were headed toward Sector 5.  He had known that they were headed for the warehouses in that sector, but now, all he could think about was Kristobel.

Their relationship was anything but easy, and he could tell there was something she was keeping from him, but he still felt like a better version of himself when they were together.  He didn’t have to fight to hold onto his patience.  When they were together, it was easy to be the man she deserved.  There always seemed to be a new way that she impressed him.  She was strong, fearless, intelligent, and still one of the most beautiful women he had ever known.  He chuckled at the thought of his attitude around her as he was reminded that even Angeal had commented on it recently.

When they neared the warehouse complex, an idea came to him that he could not shake off.  He knew it was impulsive, but he suddenly had a burning need to see her.  The recent missions were frustrating beyond belief, and he knew that even if it were for a moment, being able to see her would soothe that frustration.  It might cause others, but those were easier to deal with, especially if they were together.  His only real worry was the tongue lashing he was likely to receive for beating on her door and waking her at the ridiculously early hour.

The truck had barely stopped moving before he was out and headed toward the residential area.  Some of the men wondered where he was headed, but he waved off the car they had brought for the Soldiers as he walked through the gates.  No one bothered asking anything further.  He was one of the top-ranked Soldiers, and Sephiroth was the only one that would dare.  With the lack of the General’s presence, it wasn’t something the rest needed to get involved in.

Genesis only paused momentarily at the head of the side street where the Fairs lived.  He had already talked to Angeal the day before and knew the Puppy would not be in.  He wasn’t sure what Kristobel would think of his unexpected visit, but he shook the thought off and headed to the little house.  He had no doubt that he would have some trouble to deal with eventually, but seeing her would be worth it.

He froze when he was about twenty feet from the tiny home.  He thought he heard screaming and tried to focus on where it was coming from.  Several other homes were close enough it could have been coming from any of them.  Once he concentrated, he could hear it clearly, and his blood froze in his veins as he recognized Kristobel’s voice.  He instantly ran the last few feet and was calling out to her.  When the only sound that greeted his ears was more of her screams, he didn’t think before he took a step back and used his shoulder to break the door in.  The lock gave way like paper under his enhanced strength.

Although he had never been in there, he knew exactly where to find her bedroom.  Her sobbing and screams led him there within seconds.  Her bedroom door was unlocked, but the force of his entrance caused it to bounce when he flung it open.  His practiced eye searched the room for her and for whatever it was that had her screaming.  It only took him a moment to figure out that she was alone.  He knelt by her bed and reached out to try and wake her from what was obviously a terrible nightmare.

“Kristobel, wake up.”  She cringed away from his touch, and he could finally hear some of what she was saying.  She was begging someone to stop.  Even though he knew it was a dream, he still felt his temper rise.  It did him no good though, so he tamped down on it and tried to rouse her again.  He gently but firmly shook her.

After another moment, she shot up with a final scream.  Her eyes were wild as she looked around.  She scrambled away from him, and he forced himself to give her space to finish waking; even if her tears were calling for him to soothe her.  It only took her a moment to calm enough to recognize him.  As soon as she did, she flung herself at him with heaving sobs.

He pulled her close enough that he could stand before he sat on the edge of the bed and cradled her in his lap.  Her face was buried in his chest as she tried to calm herself.  He tried to help and smoothed her hair down.  He felt impotent in the face of her fear. 

It was several moments before she calmed enough to speak.  She leaned back slightly and looked up to him with a grimace.  “I’m not sure why you are here, but I apologize.  I have nightmares sometimes.”

He took a deep breath and shook his head.  “Do not apologize for something you have no control over.  I’m just glad I decided to come to see you.”

She laughed wetly, but it held no real mirth.  He shook his head before he stood and lifted her.  She gave him a shocked look, but he smirked as he made his way into her living room and deposited her on the couch.  He brushed at the still wet tear trails before he stood.  “Rest here.  I will make you some tea to calm yourself.”  She nodded absently as he walked away.  He could tell that whatever had been haunting her dreams, was still bothering her.

Genesis caught sight of the door as he walked to the kitchen.  He fleetingly thought about the unnecessary damage but brushed the thought aside.  There was no way he would not react to her screams.  He moved to at least close it as best as he could before he headed to the kitchen. 

He had been in her kitchen enough times that it did not take him long to locate what he needed.  It was only a matter of minutes before he had a steaming cup in hand.  When he walked back into the living room, he saw Kristobel sitting on the couch with her knees drawn up and her arms gripping them tightly.  In that position, he finally noticed that she was only wearing a t-shirt.  Normally, he would have been mesmerized at the sight of her shapely legs, but that was not what made him freeze.  His voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke.  “Kristobel, what happened!”

* * *

 

Kris had been huddled on the couch in misery.  Her nightmares had finally started to lessen, but the last month had been horrible.  With everyone being gone all the time, it was hard for her not to worry and her worry inevitably led to nightmares.  The only difference was that now there were more faces that took the place of her own.  The torture and pain were always the same.

She had barely spared a thought that it had been Genesis that had found her.  She was still trying to shake off the pain and fear.  It wasn’t until she heard his worried whisper that the full weight of the situation hit her.  She jumped up with widened eyes as she realized he could see as well as she could during the day.  She grabbed a pillow and tried to hide her legs, but she knew it was a lost cause as she saw his eyes take in the scars that covered her.  There were so many that they crisscrossed across her pale skin.  She tried to fight the urge, but she was still so shattered from her dreams that she couldn’t keep her tears from falling.

Her voice shook despite her best efforts.  “Just go!”

He looked confused for a moment, but he moved to slowly put the cup down on the coffee table before he took a step closer to her.  She scrambled away from him and looked around to see if she could get around him.  Her frantic gaze was drawn back when he spoke again.  “Why do you want me to leave?  What is going on?”

Kris couldn’t suppress a sob as she pointed to the door.  “Just get it over with!  You know now, so leave!”

Understanding finally lit in his eyes, and his gaze softened.  He ignored her scramble to hide from him and had her in his arms within seconds.  She fought his grip, but he could tell she wasn’t really trying to get away.  He scooped her up once more and sat with her on the couch.  Once they were seated, he cupped her chin and turned her tearstained face up to meet his gaze.

“Kristobel, I have no plans to go anywhere.”  She sobbed again at his reassurances, but he wiped the tears away and kissed her forehead.  He pulled her in closer before he spoke again.  “Dearest, you have to remember that I am a _Soldier._ Even with enhanced healing, scars are commonplace.  They are a sign that you are a fighter.”

She finally stilled in his arms and looked up with a confused expression.  “You… you don’t find them repulsive?”

Genesis had to curb the urge to curse.  It was evident that something horrible had happened.  A large part of him wanted to throttle whoever it was that made her feel she had to hide part of herself so completely.  His voice was soft when he finally spoke.  “Kristobel, you are a beautiful woman, inside and out.”  He paused and brought up her arm and ran a finger over a scar that lined her forearm before he lightly brushed his lips against it.  “These only prove to me that you are even stronger than I first believed.”

Kris started crying again, but he could tell it was not because she still doubted him.  He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.  “Can you tell me what happened?”

He felt her soften against him.  It was several moments before she finally sighed and nodded.  “It’s both a long and short story.”

He chuckled at the slight return of her sense of humor.  When she sat back and looked at him, she was smiling slightly, though he could still see the pain in her eyes.  “The short story is that I don’t really know what happened.”

He gave her a confused look and couldn’t stop himself from glancing at her arms again.  He hadn’t been lying when he told her that he found her as beautiful as ever, but there were so many scars, he couldn’t understand how she could possibly not know what happened.

 Kris sighed again at the look he gave her.  She could understand his confusion.  She gave herself a mental push and continued.  “I know.  With the way this looks, you would think I would have to know, right?  That is the long part of the story.”

He raised a brow.  “I have nowhere to be.”

Kris laughed lightly at his quip.  She wasn’t sure how this would go, but the worst part was over, and he hadn’t run away.  She laid her head on his shoulder, and when he wrapped his arms around her, for the first time, she only felt his warmth and comfort.  She took a deep breath before she launched into her tale.  “Well, I suppose I should start with the fact that Zack and I are not related by blood.”

She felt him still underneath her head but didn’t move when he spoke.  She was comforted by the way his voice rumbled under her ear.  “I had wondered why you are not as alike as I supposed siblings to be, but I am an only child.  I have no point of reference.”

She glanced up at him with a smile.  He always focused on the most unexpected things.  She shook her head before she laid it back down and continued.  “Zack was twelve when he found me nearly dead outside of the village.  He dragged me back to his house, and his family nursed me back to health.”

Kris paused at Genesis’ sharp intake of breath, but he didn’t interrupt, so she continued.  “I was mostly unconscious for several days, but when I finally woke, I couldn’t remember anything.  Nothing about my past or even who I was.”

She paused and sat back at that point.  Genesis was giving her a worried look as he brushed a strand of hair off her face.  He looked like he had questions, but he didn’t voice them, so she continued.  “The Fairs insisted that I stay with them until I remembered who I was.  When it never happened, they ended up adopting me.”  She smiled at the memory of that day, and the first time Zack had declared her his sister, even before then.  She looked up into Genesis’ eyes with a smile.  “I may not know who I was, but I know who I am now.  For anything that matters, I am Kristobel Fair.”

Genesis’ worried look transformed into a soft smile.  An unfamiliar warmth flooded him at the surety he found in her eyes.  She might have been concerned about her scars, but in every other aspect, she was confident in who she was.  She had never looked more lovely to him, then she did at that moment.  Before his thoughts caught up to his actions, he leaned down and brushed his lips lightly against hers.  It was fleeting, but when he sat back, he could see that she understood the feelings that had motivated it.

Kris smiled up at Genesis.  She had never wanted him to know about her disfiguration, or what caused it, but his reaction made that writhing thing inside her settle.  Instead, it wrapped warmth around and through her as he smiled back.

His hand had started rubbing soft circles across her back, and Kris was caught between being soothed and feeling like her skin was beginning to burn.  It was a moot point when Genesis spoke.  “Is that the cause of your nightmares?  You said this was not the first one.”

She sighed and shook her head.  “I don’t really know.  They usually come when I am worried.”

His hand stilled briefly as he realized why she was worried.  He knew part of it was probably her brother, but he didn’t doubt that part of it was himself.  He didn’t like that his absence worried her, but he couldn’t deny the warm feeling the fact caused.  He started moving his hand again as he spoke.  “Do you want to talk about it?  I have been told that helps.”

Kris laughed lightly, but her eyes were disturbed when she looked up.  It was several seconds before she finally responded.  “I have never told anyone about them.  Zack usually helps me handle them when he’s here, and I haven’t told him either.”

Kris could tell that Genesis was about to reassure her that she was not obligated to share, so she spoke up again before he could.  “Maybe it would be good to tell someone.”

His eyes widened slightly in shock, but he didn’t say anything.  He doubted it was going to be easy for her to talk about.  It took her several more seconds to organize her thoughts.  “It always starts the same.  I’m tied up and in the dark.  There is a feeling of horrible anticipation, but it doesn’t last long before a faceless man comes in and starts-“  She had to swallow before she could continue.  She looked away from his face.  “He tortures me.  It varies with each nightmare, but it is always horrible.”

He pulled her close and whispered into her hair.  “You are safe.  I will never allow anything like that to happen to you.”

Kris reveled in the feeling of his warmth for several seconds before she pushed back and smiled at him.  It was fleeting as she continued.  “That is bad, but it isn’t the worst part.”

His eyes widened again, but he allowed her to finish.  “At some point, the perspective switches, and it isn’t me being tortured.  It’s transferred to someone I care about, and I’m still bound.  I can’t stop it.  All I can do is beg and scream as the people I love are beaten and bloodied.”

Her eyes were haunted as she held his gaze.  “Seeing you at someone else’s mercy… I can’t handle it.”

Tears had started falling again.  Genesis had felt a lurch as the implications of what she had just said sank in, but he didn’t comment.  Instead, he wiped her cheeks again and tucked her under his chin.

He held her there for several minutes before he finally stood with her in his arms.  She squealed a little and gave him a confused look.  He smirked back at her.  “I know that you are probably tired, despite those nightmares.  I am personally exhausted, so I felt it prudent that we go to bed.”

Kris froze in his arms as his words sank in, but she started squirming to get out of his grip almost immediately.  “Genesis, that’s not… that’s a bad… I can’t!”

By that time, they had already made it to her room, and he set her on the bed.  He cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes.  “You said that Zachary would usually be the one to help you get back to sleep.  I would hope that I am at least a suitable substitute.”

Kris froze as she tried to process what he was saying.  “Just sleeping?”

His smirk softened into a smile.  “Just sleeping.”

She blinked at him a few times as she realized it came down to whether she trusted him or not, and there was no doubt that she did.  She gave him a nod and watched as he took off his coat and gloves.  He paused at that point and smirked again.  “Give me one moment.”

She frowned as he disappeared into the living room again.  She heard a couple of bangs, but he was back almost immediately.  When she gave him a questioning glance, he looked slightly abashed.  “I was a little forceful with your door when I heard you screaming.  It is set enough for now.  I’ll make sure it is fixed tomorrow.”

Kris could feel her cheeks heating as she realized he must have broke in.  She still managed to nod.  Her embarrassment morphed into something entirely different when he divested himself of his shirt and boots before he sat next to her.

Genesis noticed the look Kris was giving him as he sat.  He swallowed a sigh.  He understood her innocence in regards to their relationship much better now, but that didn’t change much.  He would have to be more patient than ever.  He smiled as he laid her back.  He had to admit that the way she blushed made temptation raise its head, but he shoved it down and turned her to face away from him before he settled behind her and nestled against her.

Kris wasn’t sure what she was feeling.  It was a mixture of embarrassment and unfamiliar fire.  When Genesis wrapped his arm around her waist, she stiffened.  After several moments she realized that was all he was going to do and allowed herself to relax.  Despite everything racing through her mind, it wasn’t long until his comforting warmth behind her lulled her back into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, this one is currently burning up my brain, so I plan on getting it all out while I can. I will probably focused on this story for the next few chapters. The next one will still be fluffy, but it won't be long until we move into more familiar territory. Thanks for reading!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this chapter is 'As Lovers Go' by Dashboard Confessional

##  **Chapter 20**

Zack was dead on his feet as he made his way from the transports back to his house.  He and Angeal had gotten back around 08:00 that morning.  They had slept in the truck, but it had been far from restful.  They didn’t have much time either.  Sephiroth had scheduled a meeting for that afternoon to debrief them.  Angeal had agreed to go with him.  They were both sure that Kris would have breakfast, and there was no way either man would turn down her omelettes.  It never occurred to Zack’s tired mind that he had forgotten to call his sister when they started back to Midgar.

It wasn’t until they were close to the house that either man noticed anything was wrong.  Angeal had frozen, and it took Zack several moments to realize what his mentor was staring at.  When he saw the shattered wood around the lock on his front door, he was instantly on high alert.  Any tiredness he had felt was gone in a heartbeat.

Angeal was on his heels as he ran to his house.  He tried to push the door open, and when it didn’t budge, he didn’t hesitate to kick it open.  The door was further damaged, and he briefly noted that it hadn’t opened because there had been a chair propped to hold it closed.  The chair was shattered as well, but he didn’t care.  He started yelling.  “Kris!”

He kept calling as he poked his head into the kitchen.  It wasn’t until after the third time that he called out that he finally heard a muffled response from her room.  He felt relief wash over him as he went to throw her door open.  It was at that point that he froze.  His stillness only lasted a split second before a flurry of motion started in the doorway.

The noise of the spontaneous struggle caused Kris to finally sit up and look over.  She rubbed her eyes sleepily as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing.  Her attention was snagged when Genesis sat up as well.  Her cheeks heated at the sight of his bare chest, but she didn’t get long to admire it.  Her attention was drawn back to the doorway when she heard Zack yelling.  “Let me go!  I’m going to kill him!”

Genesis was already on his feet and was sneering at her brother.  Kris didn’t think before she jumped up.  She was barely awake, and her day already looked to be crazy.  She pushed in front of Genesis and faced Zack.  She barely noted that Angeal was behind her brother before she started yelling to be heard above his threats.

“Stop!  Nothing is going on!”  She wasn’t sure if her words would get through to him, but he at least stopped yelling.  Angeal hadn’t let him go yet, so he was still struggling.  Once he stopped making so much noise, Kris pinned him with a glare.  “Zack, I appreciate that you feel the need to defend my honor, but Genesis stayed because I had a nightmare.  Nothing happened, not that it’s any of your business if it had.”

Zack stilled at her words.  Once he was no longer struggling, Angeal finally let him go.  Her brother grabbed her in a hug and lowered his voice.  “Are you alright?”

Kris felt herself relax in his familiar embrace.  She had missed her brother, and it was good to see him after the rollercoaster the previous night had been.  She nodded and let the hug go on for a moment before she pushed back.  It was at that point that she realized three large men were standing in her bedroom and she was there in her sleep shirt.  She groaned and started pushing Zack backward.  “Go wait in there!  I’ll be out in a minute.” 

Zack only allowed her to push him back a few steps before he stopped and glared at Genesis again.  “He comes too.”

Kris rolled her eyes and pushed again.  “We’ll be right out.  Just go.”

Zack looked like he was ready to murder his Commander but finally relented.  Kris shut the door in his face as soon as he was far enough out of the room.  Once it was closed, she turned and leaned against it with a sigh.  She had her eyes shut, so she didn’t see Genesis smirk at her next words.  “Well, that was certainly an interesting wake-up call.”

She had to stifle a scream when he stepped up and wrapped his arms around her waist before he buried his face in her neck.  She could hear laughter in his voice when he spoke.  “Well, love, I would say it was worth it for the delight of waking up with you in my arms.”

Kris felt her cheeks flare as she pushed him off her.  There was silent mirth in his eyes as she glared at him.  “You make it sound so… so… dirty.”

He chuckled as she grabbed his clothes from her closet door and flung them at him.  “Go get dressed in the bathroom.  I’ll be right out.”

As much as Genesis was enjoying teasing her, he did as he was told.  He only paused long enough to kiss her on the cheek as he passed.  Kris watched the closed door with one hand on her face for several seconds.  She finally shook her head at herself before she quickly got dressed.

When she made it to the kitchen, she walked into an atmosphere so thick, it was almost unbearable.  Both Zack and Genesis were sitting on opposite sides of the table with Angeal in the middle.  If it wasn’t up to her to diffuse the situation, she might have found it funny.  She did feel sorry for Angeal, though.  He was glaring at both the others.  Zack was shooting daggers at Genesis.  The latter had a self-satisfied smirk that she just knew was aimed at pissing Zack off even more.

She rolled her eyes at both of them before she turned to get breakfast ingredients out.  No one spoke for several minutes.  It wasn’t until Kris had the first omelette almost finished that she grabbed the plates and set them out.  She looked to the two men at the ends of the table before she spoke.  “Alright, _boys,_ I would like to have a nice breakfast, so grow up.  We can talk over the meal.”

Genesis transferred his smirk to her, but when she caught his gaze, it took on a hungry edge.  She doubted it was because of the appetizing smells either.  She broke eye contact when she heard Zack snort with disgust.  She felt her cheeks redden, but she ignored them as she grabbed the pan.  She was still angry at both her brother and her boyfriend, so she plopped the finished omelette down on Angeal’s plate without looking at any of them.  If she had looked, she would have noted all three of them were giving her shocked looks. 

She turned to finish the rest.  When she turned around with the next one, Genesis looked slightly contrite.  She glanced back and forth between the two and realized that she was suddenly the linchpin in some sort of power struggle between them.  She rolled her eyes and split the eggy concoction before she placed half on each of their plates.  They both gave her frowns.  She grinned at them both with raised brows.  “Enjoy.  If you’re nice, I might think about letting you have the other half when I’m done with the next one.”

Genesis’ frown deepened, and Zack looked like he was about to whimper.  She shook her head at them both before she flashed a grin at Angeal.  The man had to have nerves of steel.  He only gave her a slight smile back, but she could see his eyes shining with mirth.  She was suddenly sorry for all that the man had probably had to deal with over the last few months.

She quickly made the next two, and even though they were both still frowning, she gave Zack and Genesis each another half.  Once she had hers, she sat down and started eating without looking at the rest of them.  She waited until she was halfway finished before she finally acknowledged the looks she was getting.  “So, are we back to being civil, or is this going to devolve into a fight?”

Zack gave her a remorseful look.  “I’m sorry I overreacted.  It’s just-“  He cut himself off and glared at Genesis.  When Genesis smirk back again, she banged a hand on the table.

“Look, I get it.  I know you want to protect me.”  She paused and glared at Genesis too.  “And you, you’re old enough to know better.  There is zero reason for you to egg him on like that.  I shouldn’t have to say this for crying out loud.”

She completely missed the grin Angeal shot her, and thankfully so did the other two.  She took a deep breath and looked at both of them again.  “Okay, so let’s get this all out in the open.”  She then turned to Zack.

Before she could speak though, he interrupted her.  “Uh, sis, you… you are wearing a t-shirt.”

Kris sighed and leaned back, but she gave him a soft smile.  “Yeah, I am.”  She paused and gave Genesis a tentative smile before she turned back to Zack.  “I can’t say that I’m okay with leaving the house like this yet, but I think I might get there eventually.”

Zack was looking at her with wonder.  He had been there when the younger kids in the village had started calling her horrid names, and so she started wearing clothing to cover her arms and legs all the time.  No matter how much he had tried to convince her that it didn’t matter, she had refused to budge.  Seeing her sitting there in relative comfort with Genesis, of all people, staring at her, made him reevaluate his attitude toward the man.

They all three looked over to Angeal when he finally noticed what they were talking about.  “Kris, how did you get those?”

Kris felt a sliver of apprehension, as she wasn’t as close to Angeal as she was the other two, but his look only conveyed concern without a trace of disgust.  She didn’t get to answer him before Genesis spoke up.  “It doesn’t really matter now, does it?  She is safe and cared for, and nothing like it will _ever_ happen again, so it is a moot point.  They are badges of honor.  Her brilliant personality is a testament to her strength.”

When he stopped speaking, none of them were sure which of them was looking at him with more disbelief.  Kris had heard something similar the night before, but she still had a hard time believing him.  His continued presence did tend to prove he meant it too.  She doubted he would stick around just for the omelettes.

As for Zack, he was staring at Genesis like he had two heads.  He had never expected the temperamental man to ever openly declare his dedication like that.  And he had no doubt that it was a declaration.  Kris may not have noticed, but there was rage and passion in the man’s eyes when he promised to keep her safe.  Zack actually agreed with the man for once.  There was no way Kris would ever again look like she had when he first found her.

Kris finally looked away from Genesis at the continued silence.  She cleared her throat and nodded at no one in particular.  “Well then, I suppose we can finish breakfast in peace.”  None of them knew quite what to say at that point, so they finished the meal in silence, but it wasn’t the same uncomfortable silence as before.

* * *

 

It was several days later, on a Wednesday, that Genesis surprised Kris.  She had been working on trying to get the house cleaned.  With her working two jobs, the standards of cleanliness had to drop a bit unless she was keen on killing herself.  When the knock sounded at the door, she answered with confusion.  They never had unexpected visitors.

When her eyes landed on a smiling Genesis, she froze.  It wasn’t that he never visited her while he was at lunch, but he had not called to let her know to expect him.  She blushed as she realized she was probably disgusting.  She felt grimy, and she knew there were likely dust bunnies in her hair from where she had climbed up and dusted the top of the light fixtures and cabinets.

If her appearance bothered him, he didn’t show it.  He did lift a brow at her continued silence, though.  She shook her head and stepped back so he could enter.  “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting you.  I would have had something made.”

He paused as she closed the door and gently lifted something from her hair before he bent and kissed her cheek.  “Don’t fret.  I thought that might be the case, so I brought something.”

She grimaced when she saw that he had indeed removed a dust bunny, but smiled when he held up a familiar basket.  She had come to appreciate the sight of it because it inevitably meant that she was about to have a delectable meal.  She gestured to the kitchen.  “Give me a minute to clean up a little, and I’ll get us some plates.”

He smirked at her retreating form until she disappeared into the bathroom.  By the time she was able to clean up enough to not feel too disgusting to eat, Genesis already had everything laid out.  She smiled at the sight of the fresh flowers that had been added to the blue tumbler that she had given up on ever using for drinking out of again. 

Genesis was leaning against the counter while he waited, so Kris stood on her tiptoes to try and kiss his cheek.  He chuckled at her efforts and bent just enough for her to reach.  She huffed at his humor at her expense, but it was forgotten as soon as he pulled out a chair for her.

For the next several minutes, their conversation was minimal.  They had shared similar lunches enough that they were comfortable with serving each other.  It wasn’t until they had already started eating that Genesis gave her an evaluating look.  Kris froze when she finally noticed it.  “Is there something on my face?”

Genesis shook his head and laughed.  “Not at all.  There is, however, something that I wished to speak to you about.”

Kris felt her heart do a flip in her chest.  He was smiling still, so she doubted it was something terrible, but his eyes were serious.  She put her fork down.  “Okay, you have my attention; what’s going on?”

Kris’ stomach joined her heart in their acrobatics as Genesis seemed hesitant for the first time since she met him.  He was a man that knew what he wanted and had no problem going after it, so the look sent alarm bells ringing through her head.  It was only eased a little when he took one of her hands and squeezed gently.

He swallowed once before he finally spoke.  “I brought something for you.  I know you have told me in the past you can take care of these things on your own, and you have proven time and again that you were correct.  Still, I wanted to give you something.  A token of-“  He paused long enough for Kris to raise a brow, but he quickly continued as if he hadn’t stopped.  “My affection.  You do not need to feel obligated to take it if you feel it is inappropriate.”

By that point, Kris’ curiosity was stronger than her fear.  It showed on her face when she answered.  “Genesis, unless you are gifting me someone’s head, I doubt anything would be inappropriate.  Not if you are giving it because you want to share it with me.”

He laughed at her attempt at levity.  It eased them both.  Kris watched with open curiosity as he reached down and pulled a medium-sized box from under the table.  She wondered where he could have possibly been hiding it when he came in.  She couldn’t resist shaking it lightly when she took it from.  It was light for the size of the box.

At her curious look, Genesis laughed and gestured to the package in her hands.  “Are you going to open it, or spend my entire lunch trying to guess what it is?”

She sent him a playful glare as she slowly undid the ribbon.  Her apprehension came back as she slowly lifted the lid, but what was waiting for her inside, completely took her breath.  She stood and gently pulled out a beautiful dress.  It was crimson and made from a soft and airy material.  It had no frills but was elegant in its simplicity.  When she held it up to her body, she saw that it would be knee-length.  The scoop neckline was more daring than anything she had ever owned, even in the clothing she wore in private, but it didn’t look like it would be too revealing.

She looked up from where she still held it against her body to see Genesis giving her a look that nearly took her breath away.  “I knew that color would be stunning against your skin.”

Kris flushed at the compliment and used the excuse of looking at the dress again until she got it mostly under control.  “It’s lovely.  I don’t… I’m not sure if I can wear it yet.”

Kris had not noticed Genesis stand.  He lifted her face to meet his eyes, and there was a fire burning in their depths that made Kris feel like she was going to combust under his scrutiny.

“The choice will always be yours.  I will tell you that I would love to see you in it, but I will never insist.”

Despite the heat in her cheeks again, she gave him a coy smile.  “You would like to see me in it?”

The heat in his gaze turned hungry, and Kris had to force herself not to take a step back.  When Genesis leaned closer, she mentally rebuked herself.  She should have known better than to poke the bear, and his words made that perfectly clear.

His voice was barely above a whisper.  “Not as much as I would like to see you out of it, but we will have to take it one step at a time.”

Kris was sure that she was going to pass out.  She couldn’t breathe as his words painted images in her head that had her whole body flushing red.  She could not find her voice before he stood with a slight chuckle.  His hands moved to lightly grip her waist.

“I was hoping that I could convince you to join me for dinner tonight.”

She had to take a moment to process his request and almost answered before she remembered that she already agreed to go out with Zack and the others.  “I already told Zack that I would go with him tonight.”

His lips thinned for a moment, but he nodded.  “Would you object if I asked to attend as well?”

Kris was floored.  Genesis knew that she went out with Zack and his friends often, but he had never asked to be part of it.  She had always assumed it was because it would be awkward for the Seconds.  Still, if that wasn’t the problem, then she didn’t see what it would hurt.  She let the dress fold over her arm as she shrugged.  “I wouldn’t have a problem with it.  You do know that Luxiere and Kunsel will be there too, right?”

He didn’t look happy about that fact, but he nodded.  “We could make it a friendly get together.”

She eyed him with apprehension.  At the look, he brushed his knuckles across her cheek and sighed.  “I can bring Angeal so it would be a bit less awkward.  Most of the troops are more comfortable with him.”

Kris laughed at the fact that he was aware of that particular shortcoming and more surprised that he had admitted it.  “You know, you can’t just make plans for him.  What if he already had a date?”

He looked at her as if she had just said the moon was made of cheese.  “Then the more, the merrier, correct?”

Kris knew she wasn’t going to win.  She folded the dress carefully and put it back in the box before she turned to him with a curious look.  “Why can’t this wait?  Is there something going on?”

Genesis quirked a brow at her question, but when she simply returned the gesture, he sighed and wrapped her in a hug.  “You are always far too perceptive for your own good.”

Kris felt a thread of worry run through her as she pushed back far enough to look up at his face.  “So, there is something coming?”

He shook his head, but she could still see a trace of worry in his eyes.  “Not yet.  I do believe that things will be coming to a head soon, though.”

Kris buried her face in his chest.  She knew it was an occupational hazard and part of dating a Soldier, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.  Especially since her brother was in the same boat.  She finally leaned back and gave him a nod.  “I would love to have you join us for dinner.”

Genesis smiled down at her as he cupped her cheek.  “There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the Goddess.”  He followed those words with a searing kiss that nearly had Kris passing out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can tell, I am on a roll and taking full advantage of the little time I have. My brain is still not ready to move on from this one, so hopefully we will see several more chapters this week, if I have time. I hope you are all enjoying it so far, and thanks for reading!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for the first part of the chapter is 'Love You Like That' by Dagny

##  **Chapter 21**

Kris vacillated several times on whether she would wear the dress that night or not.  She still hadn’t made up her mind until after she showed it to Zack when he got home that night.  Her brother had been awed that she was even thinking about it.  His attitude finally helped her decide, and she was currently picking at the neckline for probably the hundredth time as Zack was getting the last of his things so they could go.  They were going to meet everyone else there.

When Zack caught her playing with a sleeve, he paused and gave her a frown.  His voice was low with his concern.  “You know, you don’t have to wear it just because he asked you to.”

Kris froze and lowered her hands before she gave him a smile.  “He didn’t.”

Zack gave her a confused look, so she continued.  “He didn’t ask me to wear it.  He told me that he would like to see me in it someday, but the choice was mine.  He said even if I decided to never wear it, he wanted me to keep it because he wanted me to have a reminder that he believed in me and my strength to overcome anything.”

By the time she was finished, Zack was staring at her slack-jawed.  Kris laughed at the look.  It was just what she needed, though, to remind her why she had decided to wear it in the first place.  She gave her brother a grin and poked his side to make him move.  “Let’s get going before we’re late.”

He gave her a nod as he grabbed the keys.  They were halfway to the train station before he spoke.  “Did he really say all that?”

Kris laughed at him and nodded.  “Yeah.”  She wrapped her arms around herself as she shivered.  Not that she was cold, but the feel of the air on her skin was still unfamiliar.  She didn’t mind it when she thought about Genesis’ words.

Zack watched her with growing awe.  She had always been so strong and capable, but she was scarred emotionally to match the ones on her limbs.  He hadn’t been sure she would ever be able to get over them, even though he should have known she would eventually.  She just needed the right motivation; like everything else she ever tackled.

When they got to the bar, they didn’t need to ask where their group was seated.  There was a large table in the back corner that was full already, and they could hear Reno from the doorway.  It was at that point that Kris grabbed Zack’s arm and gave him a worried look.  “Did you warn Reno that Genesis was coming?”

Zack’s only response was a devious grin.  Kris laughed and grinned back.  For Zack, it wasn’t that he liked Genesis more than Reno; that would be ridiculous, but the Turk had a bad habit of playing dirty tricks when you least expected them.  Nothing harmful, most of the time anyway, but it was still enough motivation to jump at any chance to get back at him.

The siblings tried to smother the shared look as they approached the table.  They hadn’t even made it there before all talking ceased.  Kris suddenly felt self-conscious as she realized all eyes had landed on her.  She wondered briefly if this was what it felt like to be the flag in a bullfighters hands.  She was definitely wearing the appropriate color.

The silence was broken by a wolf-whistle from Reno.  “Damn, Fair.  I knew you were gorgeous, but who knew you could look like that.”

Before Kris could do more than feel her cheeks heat, Reno’s face paled, and he slumped down into his seat.  She didn’t have to wonder why for long as Genesis’ hand was suddenly on her waist and she heard his voice from beside her.  “I’ll kindly remind you that I do not tolerate being disrespected.  That includes any aimed at Kristobel.”

Reno sank a little further down as Kris smiled up at Genesis.  When he noticed her eyes on him, he turned her slightly so he could see her better and gave her a soft smile before he lightly brushed his lips against her cheek.  His voice was so low that she wasn’t sure that anyone else except maybe the enhanced Soldiers heard him.

“Though the night wear stars like glittering jewels to beguile the minds of man, they are but candles from where I stand in your glorious rays of noon.”

Kris was struck dumb.  She caught his eye when he stood and was shocked further at the look he was giving her.  There was something in the depths of his eyes that she had never seen before, and it both thrilled and terrified her.  Even after he pulled her toward the table, she couldn’t figure out how to respond.  She wasn’t sure if she was more shocked that he hadn’t quoted Loveless, or by the fact that he had just compared her to a night sky full of stars and found the stars lacking.

She was reminded they weren’t alone when she saw Zack standing next to the table.  He was frowning at them, but it wasn’t the glare he usually reserved for the Commander.  Instead, it looked like he was thinking about something.  He let it fall as Angeal walked up as well, and they all tried to figure out where to sit.    It took some maneuvering, but somehow, Kris was able to get the spot on the outside.  A fact she was grateful for when she saw Genesis level another glare at Reno.  At least she hoped the bodies between them would dissuade him from trying to roast the Turk.

Once they were all seated, the guys all gave Kris compliments on her dress.  Although they did make sure to keep them tame.  None of them wanted to tempt Genesis into losing his temper, and the man had already proven that it would be short work to provoke him where Kris was concerned.

They had already finished their meal and Kris had finished her first drink.  Despite her misgivings, she was glad Genesis had joined them.  She made a point of treating everyone like she usually would, and it didn’t take them long to loosen up.  Even Genesis got pulled into the joking, though admittedly, it was less often than the others.

When Kris tried to absently take another drink from her already empty cup, she moved to stand.  She paused long enough to look around.  “I’m going to get another drink.  Anyone else want something?”

There were a couple of people that raised a hand and called out what they wanted, but Genesis took her hand to keep her from standing.  “Allow me.”

She shook her head.  “I am on the outside already, and I am capable enough for this.”  She stood and winked as she held one leg out slightly and twisted it a little.  “See, they work perfectly.”

She grinned at the look he was giving her.  It was a mix of adoration and consternation.  She couldn’t resist pushing just a little further.  Something about the look made her feel more daring than she usually would have.  She leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek before she whispered in his ear.  “Besides, I know you like watching me walk away.”  She didn’t give him a chance to react before she turned on her heel and headed to the bar.  She laughed out loud at the feel of his eyes on her as she walked off.

Genesis did indeed watch her walk to the bar.  Her tinkling laughter followed her, and it made him smile.  Once she was at the bar, Genesis turned back to see Zack staring at him.  He knew it would ruin the night if he provoked the boy, so he tried to curb the urge.  He still raised a brow, and Zack sighed.  He was shocked when the Puppy gave him a smile.

“I know we didn’t get off on the right foot, but I think maybe I was wrong.”

Genesis gave him a surprised look.  This was unexpected.  “Oh, and how is that?”

Zack’s grin widened.  “We both know that I would have been happy to kill you in your sleep, but I’m glad I never got the chance.”

Genesis laughed at the boy’s boldness but didn’t respond other than a gesture for him to explain himself.  Zack shot a soft look to where Kris was standing, and he smiled back at Genesis.  “I have never seen her so happy and comfortable in her own skin.  I know it was her choice, but you were the catalyst.  I suppose I owe you thanks for that.”

Genesis didn’t have to feign shock when Zack held out a hand.  When he accepted it, Angeal clapped him on the shoulder.  “See, I knew you would grow up eventually.”  Genesis shot him a glare but didn’t comment further.  He had known Angeal long enough to recognize the teasing for the compliment it was.

* * *

 

Kris was still waiting for the bartender to come to take her order when she noticed a group of four girls come up beside her.  She moved a little so that at least one of them could step up if they wanted to order.  None of them moved though.  She turned with a frown when one of them tapped her roughly on the shoulder.  She turned just enough so she could look at them and still keep her spot.  “Yes?”

The one that tapped her shoulder was glaring.  “Who _are_ you?”

Kris snorted at the question.  “Why do you care?”

The girl’s face got a little more red as she gestured behind them.  “Why are you keeping them all to yourself?  Haven’t you heard it’s polite to share?”

It took Kris a few moments to realize that the girl was talking about the Soldiers.  When she did, she laughed out loud.  She tried to bring it under control, but every time she saw the girl’s frown growing, her laughter doubled.  She finally managed to tone it down enough that she could speak.  “I’m not stopping you from heading over there.  Although considering one of them is my _brother,_ I’m not so sure that I could stand having you at the table.”

Her eyes glinted at the last part, and the girl must have finally realized that even though Kris was small, she wasn’t going to be pushed around.  That didn’t stop her from taking a threatening step forward.  “You don’t want to mess with us.”

Kris lost all sense of mirth, and her face became impassive.  “No, I think you have that wrong.  This isn’t the time or place for this kind of behavior, but trust me when I say it will never be a good time for you to step up with me.”

Despite her stature, Kris suddenly became more intimidating than any of the women had expected.  It was the face she used to cow towering Soldiers when they thought she couldn’t go toe-to-toe with them.  Even though she doubted the girls would start something in the bar, Kris was grateful when she heard the bartender at her other side.  “Can I take your order?”  She turned her back on the group without concern.  If she had seen the apoplectic look the girl wore once her back was turned, she probably would have grinned.  By the time she turned back around with several glasses in hand, the girls were gone.

She put the confrontation out of her mind as she set the drinks down to several thanks.  She did grin when Genesis pulled her down beside him and wrapped an arm around her waist.  The rest of the night was spent laughing.  It wasn’t until they were ready to go that she saw the girls glaring at her as they all walked out together.  She couldn’t resist the urge to give them all an evil grin.  Genesis gave her a questioning look when he caught sight of it, but she didn’t bother explaining.  That was one thing that wasn’t worth either of their time.

* * *

 

Over the next couple of months, Kris learned to handle the absences of Genesis and Zack, along with the rest.  She still didn’t like it, but she didn’t have as many nightmares.  Genesis assured her that part of it was that she had growing confidence in him and his ability to always return to her side.  She wasn’t sure if that was the reason, or if it was just that she quit keeping the biggest secrets to herself.  She even told Zack what her nightmares were about.  He hadn’t liked it any more than Genesis had.

Much to Kris’ chagrin, those two finally formed some sort of truce.  It couldn’t be called getting along, because neither of them hid the fact that they weren’t entirely comfortable with the other, but they both figured out they had something important in common, Kris and her safety.  As long as they both agreed that her happiness came first, they had no problems with each other. 

The relationship that Kris had with Genesis was morphing as well.  She no longer thought of him as her boyfriend, although she didn’t really know what else to call him.  They weren’t technically lovers, although that felt closer to the truth.  Something was growing between them that she was hesitant to put a name to, but just thinking about it made her giddy.  It no longer frightened her.  It helped that she no longer felt he might up and leave at any time.  For some reason, that past fear seemed ridiculous to her now.

It wasn’t until the end of summer that a blemish tarnished that happiness.  She was teaching her last class of the day when Kunsel came in.  She waved at him with a smile, and he returned the wave, but the fact that he still looked grim had her on edge.  She waited until the last of the Thirds filed out before she joined him at the top of the bleachers.

“Hey, you don’t look like you’re here for a social visit.  What’s going on?”

He grimaced and shook his head.  “I figured you didn’t know, or I doubt you would still be in here.”

Kris felt ice in her veins, but she kept it from her voice.  “Why?  What happened.”

Kunsel sighed and gave her a pitying look.  “Last night, the Firsts were sparring, and Commander Rhapsodos was injured.  They’re keeping it hushed, but from what I hear he’s still in the infirmary.”

Kris felt her stomach drop out entirely and felt like she was going to be sick right there.  She swallowed the sensation.  She hadn’t realized she moved, but she paused at the bottom of the stands to give him a nod of thanks before she was running.

She had no idea where the Soldier infirmary was, but she knew that one of the other Firsts would know.  She went to Angeal’s office first, but the office was dark.  She cursed under her breath and knocked on the door next to his.  She felt relief flood her when she heard Sephiroth call out.

He was standing next to the window when she walked in and looked surprised to see her.  Although that look changed to a grimace quickly.  She didn’t get to say anything.  “I suppose you are here because you heard about Genesis?”

She gave him a nod.  “Do you know where he is?”

He sighed and looked back out the window before he responded.  “Hollander kept him for observation after the transfusion.  Angeal is probably up there as well.”

“Hollander?”  Kris felt a sharp stab of pain behind one eye at the sound of the man’s name.  She almost gasped aloud, but it passed so quickly that she was able to grit her teeth until it was gone.

She barely heard Sephiroth’s answer over the pain.  “He is the scientist that has been handling Angeal and Genesis.”

When Kris could see clearly again, she finally noticed that Sephiroth almost looked pensive.  She walked over and tentatively put a hand on his arm.  He didn’t jump, but she could tell that she had surprised him when he looked down at her sharply.  She ignored it.  “Are you alright?”

He schooled his face into impassiveness.  “I am fine.”

Kris snorted.  “I may not know you as well as Angeal and Genesis, but even I can tell that’s a lie.  What’s going on?”

He looked at her for several moments before he frowned slightly and answered.  “It is nothing important, but I was simply wondering about the fact that they told me I was incompatible to help with Genesis’ transfusion.”

Kris gave him an understanding look.  “Ah, you wanted to help too.  Don’t let it bother you too much.  It happens often enough.  It all depends on blood type.”

He gave her a confused look.  “What are you talking about?”

It was Kris’ turn to give him a confused look.  “The different blood types?  I mean, I’m an O+, a universal donor, but I can only take blood from another person with the same type.  It’s likely that you have different blood types.”

His confusion only seemed to be getting worse.  Kris’ next question was tentative.  “Do you know your blood type?”

He slowly shook his head.  “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

Kris looked at him in shock.  “Oh.”  She quickly recovered though.  “Well, I don’t know the ins and outs, but I do know that if you don’t have the same type as a person and they take your blood, it basically causes the blood to coagulate in their veins, or something like that anyway.”

His eyes had gotten wide.  “My blood would do that to another!?”

She shook her head.  “It would depend on if they shared your blood type.  I’m sure there are lots of people that have the same as you, so it isn’t like there is something wrong with your blood.  It’s just that there are several different types.”

Sephiroth finally sat and seemed to contemplate what she had told him.  Finally, he looked up with determination.  “Why don’t I show you where the infirmary is.  I would like to check on Genesis as well.”

Kris smiled at him.  Her worry was still strong, but seeing that Sephiroth didn’t seem too bothered, other than the transfusion issue, her anxiety eased some as she followed him out and up to the 67th floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple of things. First, I would like to apologize if Genesis' compliment was a little cheesy. I haven't written poetry in years, so that was my pitiful attempt at flowery flattery lol. Also, we are firmly started in the Crisis Core events now, so expect things to get rocky for a while. I still have lots of ideas running around, so we will see several more chapters before I move on. Also, there is a high probability that the story will change to M with the next chapter. Expect a little citrus :)


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for the third section is 'Kiss Me a Thousand Times' by Raign. The last (fourth) section is 'Stay' by Hurts

## Chapter 22

When they got to the Science Department, Kris stood to the side and allowed Sephiroth to talk to the man that was trying to keep them out.  She almost felt a little sorry for him, as he was just doing as he was told.  If Sephiroth noticed the way the man was trembling under his glare, he didn’t allow it to convince him to relent.  Any pity she felt for the man didn’t show when he cast a pleading glance at her.  She tried to keep her glare from being as heated as the General’s, but she had a feeling she failed when the poor man paled further.

He must have finally realized the two of them weren’t going anywhere until they saw Genesis for themselves, so he allowed them to enter and told them where the Commander could be found.

When they entered the room, Kris froze.  Genesis was lying on a table with his shirt off and a bandage wrapped around his shoulder.  Angeal was in the seat next to him with his head down in his hands.  At her gasp, both men looked over to the door.  She saw Genesis grimace at Sephiroth and wondered what exactly had happened.

She didn’t wait for the General to move before she stepped around him and toward Genesis.  His eyes widened when he finally saw her, but he looked away before she reached his side.  Kris’ steps faltered at that, but only for a moment.  She doubted he appreciated being seen as anything less than invulnerable, so she tried not to worry about it.

She felt Sephiroth approach behind her, but she was focused on Genesis.  “How are you feeling?”

She saw him flinch slightly, but only because she was watching him closely.  It was several moments before he turned to look back at her.  Or rather, he looked over her shoulder and pinned Sephiroth with a glare.  “Quite well.  Can’t you tell?”

Kris had to force herself not to flinch at the acid in his words.  Despite how temperamental he was being, Kris felt a knot loosen inside her.  If he was well enough to be an ass, then he was better than she thought.  She glanced over her shoulder quickly before she looked back to him.  “Can you tell me what happened?”

He barked a bitter laugh.  “Has the great General not told you?”

She glanced back again with a confused look and saw Sephiroth grimace.  She then pinned Genesis with a glare.  “Whatever it was, I doubt he did it on purpose.  Quit being childish and tell me.”

His eyes flashed at her, but she didn’t back down.  At the sight of it, some of the bitterness left his eyes, and he sighed.  “We got a little carried away.  It is nothing to worry about.  I’ll be fine in no time.”

Despite his reassurances, Kris didn’t feel like that was the whole story.  She didn’t press him, though.  She was just glad to see that he wasn’t missing a limb or something equally life-threatening.

At that point, Angeal stood and offered her the seat he had been using.  “Why don’t you stay for a bit.  Sephiroth and I have work to get back to.”

Kris gave him a thankful smile and nodded to the two men as they left.  Once they were gone, Kris sat and took Genesis’ unharmed hand.  She smiled when he squeezed lightly.

“As much as I hate for you to see me thusly, I can admit I am glad you are here.”

She laughed lightly.  “You know, being injured doesn’t mean you are anything less than perfect still.”

He raised a brow at her choice of words.  “Perfect, am I?”

Kris rolled her eyes at the suggestion in his eyes.  Still, she kissed his cheek.  “Yes, perfect.  At least to me.”  She relaxed at the sound of his laughter.  It was a pleasing counterpoint to the fear she had felt.

* * *

 

The next several weeks had Kris wanting to pull her hair out.  Genesis alternated between wanting to see her every waking moment, to being distant and grumpy.  He hadn’t told her, but she knew that his injury still hadn’t healed.  It took all her willpower to remind herself that was the likeliest reason for his attitude and not because he was tired of her. 

There had even been two days in a row that she had not heard from him at all, and he did not respond to her.  By the end of the second day, she went to the Shinra building to track him down, even though she was supposed to be off.  Thankfully Angeal ran into her and reassured her that it wasn’t just her.  Genesis had locked himself in his apartment and wasn’t talking to anyone.

After that stunt, there were very few days that he wasn’t trying to bite everyone’s head off.  No matter how patient Kris could be, by the third time he did it to her, she bit back.  It caused their first real argument.  He refused to tell her what his problem was, even though she knew it had something to do with his shoulder.  After that, they didn’t talk for nearly a week. 

It wasn’t until he called her out of the blue after five days that things changed.  She had debated about not answering, and giving him a taste of his own medicine, but she couldn’t bring herself to.  She ended up picking it up right before it went to voicemail.  There was still a bite to her tone.  “What do you want?”

She heard a sigh on the other end of the line.  Genesis’ voice sounded tired when he spoke, and the sound of it made the hair stand up on the back of her neck.  “Would you believe me if I said I would like the opportunity to apologize?”

Kris’ worry shoved her irritation aside.  “Are you alright?”

He let out a mirthless chuckle that didn’t make her feel any better.  He didn’t answer her question either.  “Would you be willing to see me?”

Kris bit back on more questions.  Whatever was going on, he didn’t want to talk about it over the phone.  “Of course.  Would you like me to meet you somewhere?”

There was a slight pause.  “May I come over?”

Kris paused.  He had been over for dinner many times, but it was usually a group affair.  Zack would be home, and Angeal would come too.  He had to know that both of them were gone on a mission together.  If he still wanted to come over, it likely meant that he had something to talk to her about that he wanted to be kept private.  She shook off the thought before he felt she was ignoring him.  “I can have dinner made.”

For the first time since their conversation started, she heard an echo of his usual smirk.  “I will be there this evening then.”  He hung up almost as soon as he confirmed. Kris was left sitting there, worrying about what was coming.

* * *

 

That night when Genesis arrived, Kris already had one of his favorite meals made.  She wondered if he was going to be later since he hadn’t said when he was coming.  She barely had time to worry about it before she heard a knock.  She was wearing a dress that she had bought shortly before Genesis was injured and she smoothed the front of it down before she squared her shoulders and headed to the door.  She had no illusions that things would go perfectly when they spoke.

She did answer with a smile, though.  Almost as soon as the door was closed, Genesis wrapped her in a tight embrace and kissed her.  It was hot enough that she had to gasp for air when he finally released her lips.  She gave him a confused look once she caught her breath, and he just closed his eyes and put his forehead to hers.  His voice was barely above a whisper.  “I missed you.”

Kris’ worry and anger suddenly felt less important.  She could tell that he was saying more than his words implied.  She hadn’t been given much of a chance to look at him, but the circles under his eyes were prominent, and his voice was still tired.  She wrapped her arms around him a little tighter.  “I missed you too.”

At the sound of her voice, he stood and gave her a smile.  “I had hoped we could come to some sort of agreement.  I don’t want to spend the last of my time arguing with you.”

Kris frowned at his words and felt her blood run cold.  “Your last days?”

He dropped his arms at her question and waved it off.  “My last days before I am deployed.”

Genesis had turned partially away when he spoke, and Kris couldn’t help but wonder if there was more he was trying to keep her from guessing at.  Still, what he had said was enough to make her grab his hands.  “Deployed?  How long for this time?”

He sighed, and when he looked back, Kris could tell that his next words were truthful.  “I don’t know.  I am being sent to Wutai to end the war.  I will be there until it is finished.”

Kris felt light-headed.  The war had been going on for eight years already.  What did that mean for Genesis?  Just the thought of it made tears prick her eyes.  As soon as he saw it, he pulled her closer again.  “Don’t let it worry you, love.  This is one of the reasons I wanted to see you.”

Kris felt overwhelmed, so she grasped onto the one thing he said that she felt safer asking about.  “One of?  What else did you need to talk to me about?”

He smirked down at her.  “Our apologies, of course.”

Despite her dawning horror, Kris took in what he said and raised a brow at him.  “Our apologies?  Not yours?”

He smirked.  “Yes, I do believe I was not the only one yelling.”

Kris gritted her teeth and tried not to let his attitude piss her off again.  “You were an antagonistic ass.  You’re lucky all I did was yell.”  So she had to admit she failed at being able to rein in her temper.

To her surprise, Genesis chuckled.  She gave him a confused look.  When he caught her gaze, he finally responded.  “If I remember correctly, you threatened to cut off my good arm.”

Kris froze at the reminder.  She hadn’t been very successful in not losing her temper that time either.  She gave him a chagrined look.  “I did, didn’t I.”  When all he did was nod, she shook her head.  “So I guess it is _our_ apologies.”

At her admission, he smiled and pulled her close before kissing her again.  When he released her, he smirked.  “I would say that both apologies are accepted.  Do you agree?”

Kris snorted at his attitude.  She doubted they would never fight again, especially since Kris knew her patience was far from infinite.  She did agree that she didn’t want to fight anymore, though.  “Agreed.”

At her agreement, he stepped back and took her hand.  “I smell quiche.  Are you trying to show that you missed me too?”

Kris frowned at his back as she followed him into the kitchen.  “I already told you I did.”

He paused and looked back at her before he squeezed her hand.  “So, you did.”

She let it drop as they sat down for dinner.  As they ate, Genesis gave her the details.  He was not scheduled to leave for three weeks, but once he was gone, there was no planned return date.  That was enough to make Kris’ stomach churn, but the fact that his remaining time was going to mostly be consumed by planning had her biting her lip.  She felt like time was rushing to rip them apart.  There was always the chance that he could finish quickly and be back in a month or so, but that was highly unlikely.  No matter how accomplished he was, the Wutainese were stubborn people and weren’t going down easily.

Kris tried to not let it mar their evening together though.  If this were the last meal they would have together for god knew how long, then she wanted to give him something pleasant to remember.  After dinner, they took their bottle of wine into the living room, and the conversation turned to less stressful things before they finally stopped talking altogether.

It had started with a simple kiss.  Kris had thrown her head back and was laughing at something Genesis had said.  Her lips still formed a smile when she opened her eyes to see that he had moved closer.  Her mouth was suddenly dry at the look he was giving her.  She licked her lips unconsciously.  That motion caused a fire to light in his eyes, and before she could blink, he had cupped her face and was reminding her how easy it was to get lost in him.

He moved her to sit in his lap, and she barely spared a thought for the fact that she was wearing a dress as she straddled his hips.  It wasn’t until he pulled her flush against his chest, and his heat could be felt through the thin barrier of her panties that she was reminded of that fact.

She sat back with a gasp and saw Genesis’ eyes were slightly dilated as he rakes his eyes over her slightly swollen lips.  His grip tightened almost reflexively before it loosened.  She could hear the strain in his voice when he spoke.  “It might be a good idea for me to leave soon.”

Kris felt something in her snap.  She had been afraid of intimacy for so long that she didn’t even know where to start, but she also knew that she didn’t want him to go.  “Don’t.”

He froze for several seconds and frowned slightly.  “Don’t go?”

Kris swallowed heavily before she pressed herself against him again.  “Don’t go.”

There was very little room between them, and she could feel every motion of his muscles through her dress as he shifted slightly to look her in the eyes.  “Kristobel, I do not want you to feel rushed.”

She laughed.  She knew the timing was bad, but they had been dating for nine months.  Rushed was far from what she was feeling.  “Genesis, you have been more patient with me than I thought possible.  I-“  She couldn’t quite find the words to tell him how much she had wanted him for months now, so she swallowed again and just said it.  “This isn’t the first time I’ve thought about asking you to stay.  I may not know much about this, but I know that when we are together, I feel like I could burn the world down when you touch me.”

Genesis groaned and let his head fall back on the couch.  If she had told him this just a few weeks ago, he would have already had her laid out beneath him and screaming his name.  But it was now, and now things were different.  He was different.  He had to forcefully banish the image of her pale skin heating under his touch before he sat up and faced her.  His jaw clenched as he tried to force the words out.

“There will be time for this when I return.  I want you to have the best of everything.  That includes everything we share.”

She smiled softly and kissed his jaw before she lightly brushed his lips.  “You are the best already.  I am tired of pushing you away.  Please.”

He would never know if it was her soft kisses or the pleading note in her voice, but before his mind could catch up, his mouth was on hers once again.  A part of him knew that this was a horrible idea, but that part was drowned in the flood of desire that rushed through him when he trailed open-mouthed kisses across her jaw and down her neck.  Her scent was intoxicating, and the sounds she was making were driving him mad.

His brain had still not caught up as he stood with his arms around her.  She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he was taking her to her room.  He kicked the door shut before he moved to the bed and gently laid her down.  He stood and watched her flushed cheeks and the hurried movements of her chest for several seconds before he removed his duster and gloves.

Kris watched Genesis divest himself of his jacket and had to fight the urge to cover herself.  She knew she was still clothed, but the images of what was to come had her breathing fast.  Only a small part of it was fear.

When he settled next to her, she lost her inhibitions as his lips covered every exposed part of her skin.  When she felt his hands on her thighs, she had a moment of panic, but he slowed and moved to place a kiss on her stomach.  She gasped at the heat she could feel through the fabric of her dress.

He leaned back slightly so he could remove his shirt before he started with her dress.  She allowed him to undo the buttons that went all the way down the front.  He placed a single hot kiss for each one.  By the time he made it to the junction of her hips, she didn’t have the presence of mind to be bashful.  She gasped loudly when he only brushed lightly against the sheer fabric that remained.

He slowly pushed the fabric off her shoulders, and she sat up enough for it to slip away completely.  He trailed his fingers from her collar bone, through the valley between her breasts, and didn’t stop until they snagged on her panties.  He paused there and leaned until he was holding himself up with one arm.  The other still had a light grip on her underwear.  His voice was husky and strained.

“Now is the time to stop me.  I am already at my limit.”

Kris took several deep breaths to try and clear her mind enough to think.  It didn’t do much good.  She was consumed with the feel of his heat radiating down toward her, and the single spot where he was touching her felt on fire already.  She grabbed his shoulders, being careful of the bandages on the one.  The reminder that he was still injured did more to clear her head than his words had, but it didn’t stop her from leaning up enough to brush his lips with hers.  “Don’t stop.”

Genesis groaned, almost as if he were in pain before he buried his face in her neck.  He clenched the fist by his head several times before he could speak.  “I believe you may be the death of me.”

Kris suddenly understood how much he was holding back for her sake.  That, combined with the look he gave her as he sat back, made a jolt of electricity shoot through her.  She felt wanted and sexy.  Something she had never expected to feel, but she couldn’t deny the thrill of confidence and power she felt as he sat back and almost reverently slid the last barrier down her legs.

She watched him swallow several times as he simply looked over her as she lay below him.  She felt a flush creep through her.  Even her arms and legs felt like they were heating up.  When Genesis noticed the color filling her skin, he smirked and lowered himself so that he was almost touching her.  His words made the heat rush through her for an entirely different reason.  “I cannot tell you how many times I have imagined seeing that.  You are even more glorious than I could envision.”

Kris gasped as his hands started tracing a path down her collarbone and across her breasts.  His mouth followed soon after.  She cried out when he lightly nipped at the tip of one hardened nipple.  He paused briefly, but when he realized it was not because she was in pain, he moved to treat the other the same.

He continued his assault on her chest with one hand, and the other slowly slid down.  He hesitated slightly.  He knew that what was coming would be painful for her and planned to do all he could to minimize it.  He slowly parted her folds; taking the time to allow her to stop him.  He wasn’t sure he would have to strength to if she tried, but he never wanted to hurt her.  The bitter thoughts that followed those feelings nearly made him stop on his own, but she bucked against his hand, and he lost all reason.

Kris had no idea what to do, what she should be doing, but she had long since stopped thinking and was allowing her body to guide her.  When Genesis had first touched her most intimate areas, she stilled in shock, but he had started rubbing small circles in the junction that had her seeing stars.  When he paused, she unconsciously moved her hips up to renew the touch.

At that point, he moved further down.  He eased one finger inside her, and Kris gasped at the unfamiliar feeling.  Every bit of fire she had ever felt in his embrace, suddenly felt like a cold winter wind compared to how the motion of his fingers felt now.  To keep herself from hurting him, she knotted the sheets in her fists.

It didn’t seem like long at all before she felt a tightening in her abdomen.  She could feel something coming but didn’t know what it was.  She threw her head back and nearly screamed when it finally broke.  Her body shuddered as waves of pleasure crashed through her.  It felt like an eternity before she noticed the world around her again.

Genesis was hovering over her again.  He still held one hand against her folds.  His voice was barely above a whisper.  “Love, this will hurt, but I promise it will not hurt for long.”

Kris couldn’t make her voice work and simply nodded.  She hadn’t known what to expect, other than the pain.  Somehow, she had a feeling the euphoria she was still in would help with that.

She held onto Genesis’ arms as he moved to position himself between her thighs.  She focused on his beautiful eyes as he slowly moved forward.  She gasped at the sensation of fullness.  She could tell it wasn’t done yet.  Genesis swallowed thickly and kissed her with fervor before he finished thrusting forward in one swift motion.

There was the pain she had been expecting.  She cried out and nearly drew blood as she gripped his arms tight enough to leave half-moon marks under her nails.  He hadn’t moved yet.  She could feel the tightened muscles under her fingers as he held himself taut.

After several heartbeats, the sharp pain passed, and she was left with a dull throbbing.  She was able to breathe evenly again, and she looked up into his eyes.  “I’m alright.”

He lowered his forehead to touch hers.  He paused there for a heartbeat longer before he kissed her and started moving.  He was slow at first, and Kris had to work to keep a grimace off her face at the continued pain.  Genesis shifted slightly so he could use one hand to start circling the same spot as earlier.  The sensation sent shivers through her, and it wasn’t long until the feeling of fullness consumed her, and the pain became a distant memory.

Kris lost all sense of anything other than Genesis.  Every motion sent pleasure rushing through her until she could feel the same tenseness in her belly as before.  She could barely catch her breath.  She had been moving in rhythm with him and could feel him tense above her as well.  If she had thought his touch set her on fire before, when the wave finally crashed, she could have sworn that the world exploded around them.

She felt, rather than heard, him cry out above her.  His movements became nearly forceful, and the feeling of him joining her in his release sent her over the edge again.  It was so unexpected that her breath froze in her lungs as pleasure racked her.  When she could breathe again, she nearly started crying. 

Genesis had almost collapsed on her.  He barely managed to hold himself up enough to not crush her.  When he heard her nearly sob, he lifted so he could use one hand to brush the damp strands of her hair off her face.  “Love?”

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and tried to calm her breathing.  “Genesis!  Oh God, Genesis, I love you!”

He froze as he realized she wasn’t hurt, but her words echoed through him.  They should have been expected.  Kristobel was not the type of woman to give herself freely without reason.  She hadn’t noticed his lack of response as she finally calmed herself.  As she reached her tiny hands up to cup his face, he saw the truth of her declaration in her eyes, and still, he could not find the words.  Guilt was already tearing at him.  He knew that what he had allowed was unforgivable.  He could not bring himself to make it worse by sharing his own feelings.

He laid beside her and realized that she may not have grasped what she had said yet as she snuggled against him.  Even though he knew he should leave, he could not bring himself to disentangle from her.  Nothing else was said between them as she had already started to drift off.  He smiled at how comfortable and trusting she was with him.  It was a bitter smile that bordered on self-loathing.  He sighed and laid his head back and hated himself.

* * *

 

It was barely daylight, and Kris had not wakened.  He knew she would be angry that he had left, but he could not face her for a long conversation.  The fact that he needed to be back for early morning meetings was an excuse, and he knew it.  If circumstances had been different, he probably would have blown them off and stayed in bed with her all day.  That would only torture them both.

He had taken the time to write her a note explaining the meetings, among other things.  He had carefully avoided the use of the L-word, but he hoped that she would understand his feelings nonetheless.  It would have to be enough.

Despite his anger toward himself, he could not walk away without seeing her one last time.  He knelt next to the bed and brushed her hair off her face.  The peaceful smile she wore tore a new hole in his heart.  He leaned over and lightly kissed her forehead before he whispered.  “I love you too.”

She moved slightly at his words and mumbled, but didn’t wake.  Her motion had caused the sheets to slip and exposed the upper part of her body.  He froze at the sight of it for several seconds.  It took all his willpower to pull it back up around her and turn to leave instead of crawling back into the bed with her.

When he finally made it outside, he laughed bitterly at the rain that was falling.  Although Midgar was almost always overcast, it didn’t rain often.  At least the weather matched his mood.  He had barely made it more than twenty feet from the house before he froze at the sound of Kristobel’s voice.  “Genesis!  Genesis, wait!”

He turned to see her wrapped in a blanket and running toward him, oblivious of the rain.  He rushed back to meet her with a scolding on his lips.  “What are you doing?  It’s pouring.”

She grinned up at him and ignored his question.  She wrapped one arm around his neck, as the other was holding up the only thing covering her.  “I couldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye.  I know you probably have meetings, but you can’t go yet.”

Genesis cursed himself as he wrapped his arms around her and found his lips on hers.  He managed to make it brief.  “I can’t stay, and you need to get out of the rain.”

She stood up on her tiptoes and managed to brush her lips against his.  “I know, I just wanted to say one thing.”

He raised a brow at her grin.  She took that as permission.  “I just wanted to say I love you too.”

He nearly crushed her to him and buried his face in her hair.  She had heard him.  Even if she had not remembered her confession from the night before, she had heard him.  He wished to Minerva that he was a normal man and could carry her back into the small house and make love to her for the rest of the day, but he was not normal, and he could not do that to her.  What he had already done was bad enough.

He finally pulled back and cupped her cheek.  “My love, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the Goddess.  Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return.”

She closed her eyes and turned to kiss his palm.  He had never meant those words more than he did at that moment and hated himself even more because he knew they were hollow.  He kept that torment from his face as he let go and stepped away from her.  “Go get warm.  I will call you later.”

She laughed at his admonition but did as she was told.  She paused once and looked back to where he was watching her.  She kissed her palm before she pursed her lips and blew.  It took him a moment to understand that she was sending him a kiss.  He smiled at the action and ‘caught’ it as she turned to walk back in.  He stood there for several more moments and wished once again that all it would take was the rain to wash his sins away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me. I know it was a roller coaster, but I did warn you. I hope this bit of fluff was enough because it'll be a bit before there is anymore. Good news is that we get to find out many details over the course of the next two chapters. That doesn't mean that story is ending, just a bit of a reveal before things go nuts (or more nuts lol). Thank you all for reading!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for all but the last part is 'Tell Her Something' by David Hodges. The last section is 'My Immortal' by Evanescence.

##  **Chapter 23**

By the end of the day, Genesis was exhausted.  The endless planning on top of Angeal’s worry and Sephiroth’s continued efforts to make sure he was fine to go as planned wore on him.  It wasn’t helped by the fact that he had hardly been sleeping.  Even the previous night had not provided a reprieve, despite the circumstances.  Or maybe because of them.

He had done his best to put Kristobel out of his mind, but memories of her taste or the sounds she made would creep in unexpectedly and distract him.  He was snappier than usual when Angeal asked about it.  It wasn’t that he had not felt the connection to her.  No, that connection was the problem.  He cursed himself at the thought of it.

By the end of the day, he was still unsure if he should even call her.  It was only the thought of her initial misgivings that made him pick up the phone.  He had already done enough damage.  He would not have her thinking he was giving up on them after the previous night.  None of the problems could be laid at her feet.

He cringed when he could hear the happy note in her voice as she answered the phone.  He should be glad of it, but the knowledge that it wouldn’t last was tearing him apart.  He held no illusions that the path he was set on would not devastate her.  He only hoped that the people around her would eventually help her recover.

He pushed those thoughts aside and tried to hide his tiredness.  “Hello, love.  I hope you had a good day.”

Kris fought not to giggle at the pet name that he had started using recently.  It had new meaning after that morning.  She could tell he was tired, though, and tried her best to tone down the butterflies that were still flitting around in her stomach.  He had called, and that fact alone had her floating.  “It was phenomenal.  How were the meetings?”

The reminder of what was to come worked to bring her back to earth, even if he played it off.  He gave her a brief overview, and that was all she wanted.  She was sufficiently sobered by that point, but something he said reminded her of something she had wanted to ask the previous night but had been too… distracted.  “I don’t want to fight with you, but can I ask about your shoulder?  I saw it was still bandaged.  Why isn’t it healing?”

Genesis very nearly snapped that it was none of her business, but he held it in and took a deep breath.  It was only her worry that motivated the question, and he could not fault her for it.  Still, he could not tell her the truth.  He hoped she never found out about the abomination he actually was.  He settled for part of the truth at least.  “I was injured by a blade shard imbued with my own magic.  Something about the way it happened made the injury unresponsive to healing aided by magic.”

Kris paused for a moment.  That sounded painful but not as bad as she had thought.  She had been worried there was something worse wrong.  “Does that mean it will heal at a more natural pace?”

Genesis loved her perceptiveness, but currently, it was not helpful.  He tried not to let his irritation come through.  “Something like that.”

Genesis’ answer sent alarms through Kris, but she knew that if she pushed, it would probably cause another fight.  She buried the urge to pester him and changed the subject.  She would wait and try to ask again another time.

It wasn’t long afterward that they hung up.  Genesis had promised to try to have lunch with her the following day if he could get away.  Since she would be in the building, she hoped it would be easier for him to keep.

* * *

 

The night before Genesis was scheduled to leave, he sought out Angeal.  His best friend was still in his office, pouring over reports.  When Genesis entered the office, Angeal gave him a half-hearted smile.  They were all working extra hours, and it showed.

“What brings you here tonight.  Shouldn’t you be saying goodbye to Kris?”

Genesis bit back a curse at the reminder and took a deep breath.  He was there for a reason.  “I have already said my goodbyes.  Plus, she plans to see me off in the morning.”

Angeal raised a brow at him but didn’t question his answer.  He had a feeling the tiny woman was part of the reason behind Genesis’ continued irritation.  Not that she had done anything wrong, but it was clear that the man hated leaving her.  “Well, I doubt you’re here just to spend time with me.  What’s going on?”

Genesis took one of the chairs in front of the desk and sighed as he pulled a small box from the inside pocket of his duster.  “I have a favor to ask.”

Angeal eyed the tiny package with interest, but he didn’t get a chance to ask before Genesis held it out.  “I would like you to give this to Kristobel.”

Angeal froze with his hand halfway out to take it.  He slowly withdrew it and raised a brow at his friend.  “Shouldn’t you give it to her yourself?”

Genesis frowned and looked like he was about to snap, but he pinched the bridge of his nose and paused before he spoke.  “It is something that would be best for her to receive later.”

Angeal stood slowly and leaned down with his hands on the desk to give Genesis a hard look.  “What is this really about?”

Genesis stood as well and turned to face away from Angeal.  It was several seconds before he spoke with his back still turned.  “Would you at least hold on to it then.  I will give it to her myself when I return.  All I ask is that if anything were to happen to me, then you would make sure she gets it.”

Genesis still hadn’t turned, so Angeal walked around to face him.  His worry was evident in his eyes.  “You never talk like that.  Is this about you getting injured?  Surely you know that isn’t anything to worry about.  You’re a Soldier.  You’ve had worse and probably will again.”

Genesis sneered and nearly stormed out of the office.  His blood was boiling at how wrong Angeal was, and the man didn’t even know it.  At that thought, his anger rushed out of him and was replaced by his continued horror.  Angeal didn’t know, and that was one of the problems.  He hoped to have a solution before he was forced to tell his friend of the circumstances they shared.  “Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost, wings stripped away, the end is nigh.  No matter my reasoning, you are the one I trust most.  Please do this for me.”

Angeal looked at Genesis for several moments before he finally held out his hand.  As worried as he was at his friend’s behavior, he wouldn’t deny him the favor.  “I’ll hold on to it as long as you promise to do everything you can to be the one to give it to her in the end.”  Genesis forced a smile as he handed it over.  He would never be able to face her after this, but hopefully, it would allow her to find closure.  As much as the idea of her moving on tore him to pieces, it would be better in the end.  He was a monster, and she deserved a man.

* * *

 

The euphoria Kris felt after she and Genesis had made up faded over the next few weeks.  They didn’t fight again, though they did come close, but she hardly saw him.  She had known it was a probability, but somehow, she hoped that it would have been better than it was.  Not to mention that she had a nagging feeling there was something important he wasn’t telling her.

On the day he had to leave, Kris made a point of going to headquarters early to see him off.  It was bittersweet, as they had no privacy and very little time.  She stood and watched the truck trundle away from her with a growing pit in her stomach.  She didn’t move to go upstairs even after they were out of sight.  It was a long time before she felt safe to face another person.

 

Genesis staying in contact with Kris every day as they traveled to the far western continent of Wutai.  It took them nearly two weeks to get there, and every day they got closer, Kris felt that something was weighing her down.  Despite his constant assurances that everything would be fine in the end, she couldn’t help but think that there was something she was missing. 

She wasn’t sure if it was because of the constant worry or something else, but she started having nightmares again.  However, these were different.  Some were easy enough to understand, like the ones where Genesis was walking away from her, and she could never catch him.  Others were more abstract and far more terrifying.  She saw flashes of Genesis totally devoid of color.  She also saw images of him flying away without looking back.  When she tried to think about them while she was awake, her fears seemed ridiculous, but there was a feeling that always accompanied the dreams that was more than the images could account for.

Once they made it to Wutai, it took them several more days to rendezvous with the troops already stationed there and then move to the new appointed location.  They were going to be pushing the Wutainese as much as possible.

It was two days after they had settled into the new encampment that Genesis didn’t call her for the first time.  Kris stayed wrapped in her blankets on the couch all night with the phone in her lap.  The feeling that she had been trying to explain away would no longer be ignored. 

Zack found her huddled up and sleeping the next morning with still damp tear trails.  A feeling of impotent rage burned through him.  He knew she was more worried than she ever had been before, and he was among the many that reassured her daily.  Despite his personal feelings toward the man, the Commander was one of the best.  He knew that valid circumstances could have prevented Genesis from calling, and it had only been one day.  That didn’t mean he had to like what it was doing to his sister.  She never acted this way, and part of him worried that there was more he wasn’t seeing.

Three more days passed, and Kris was finding it hard to concentrate on either of her jobs.  Mr. Alexandros was understanding and made a point of staying most of the day to help her.  Kris appreciated it more than she could describe.  Not only did it help things get done, but it ensured that she didn’t focus on the lack of communication while he was there.

Working with the Soldiers was more difficult.  They were a daily reminder of Genesis and the fact that he had not been in contact with anyone.  As bad as she felt about it, that was the only thing that kept her going.  It wasn’t that he had decided to forsake her.  She was still overcome with worry.  He would never abandon his post.  He took too much pride in the fact that he was one of the elite.  When she found out that not even Angeal or Sephiroth had heard from him, she nearly broke down.  She didn’t know how much longer she could handle things before it finally happened.

It had been nearly three weeks since Genesis disappeared, and Kris had finally become numb.  She went through the motions of everyday life, but she wasn’t really there.  She had locked part of herself away just so she could function.  She couldn’t think about the possibilities.  The times that she did usually ended with her tears.  She knew Zack hated seeing them, and the rest of her friends didn’t care for them either, so she did her best to not let them know how hollow she felt.  She hated that even Angeal and Sephiroth seemed to walk on eggshells around her.  No matter how hard she tried to reassure them that she wouldn’t break, they still were careful not to mention anything about the missing man around her.

* * *

 

Zack was standing in Angeal’s office, staring at the thing in his hands with revulsion and shock.  He couldn’t make sense of it, even after Angeal explained again.  It was impossible.  As much as Genesis pissed him off sometimes, Zack knew there was no way he would die and leave Kris behind.  The man was too damn stubborn.  And yet, he was holding what had once been the Commander’s prized duster.  It was ragged and ripped across the back, and there were splashes of blood across it.  The rusted brown splotches stood out starkly compared to the red parts that weren’t covered in grime.

He swallowed and looked up at Angeal.  “I can’t believe this.  ‘Geal, are you sure?”

Angeal sighed and rubbed his hand down his face roughly.  He had to swallow before he could respond.  “They didn’t find his body, so there is still hope, but it doesn’t look good.  Given the… mess they found near that, they have decided to declare him KIA.  I convinced them to wait until tomorrow for the official release.  We can tell Kris first.”

Zack sat down hard and felt lost.  He could tell that this news was hard for Angeal as well, but it would kill Kris.  She was always genial with most people, but she didn’t let many close.  She hadn’t told him, but he knew she loved Genesis.  She was already a shadow of who she used to be.  He wanted to cry for the first time since he was a boy.  He had no idea how to tell her in a way that wouldn’t shatter her.

Angeal stepped up and put a hand on his shoulder.  They stood like that for several moments before his mentor cleared his throat.  “She should be done with her current classes soon.  Let’s go before she leaves for lunch.”

Zack looked up with a touch of fear.  “Should we tell her here?”

Angeal sighed.  He had a feeling it wouldn’t matter.  Her reaction was not likely to be pretty.  “If worse comes to worst, we are closer to the infirmary here.  She’s still a Shinra employee, even if it is part-time.”

Zack stood in a rush.  “The infirmary?”

Angeal wasn’t sure that it would be that bad, but he was always a proponent of being best prepared.  Plus, he had something to give her as well, and although he hadn’t looked into the package, he had a suspicion that it would not help her mindset.  He clapped Zack’s shoulder again.  “Just a precaution.”  Zack still didn’t look convinced, but he clenched the tattered leather in his fists and followed Angeal out and to the classroom where Kris was teaching.

They got there before she was finished, but Angeal wanted to get it over with.  He called out and got her attention before he dismissed the Soldiers and told them to pass on the word that classes would be canceled for the rest of the day.  Kris gave him a sharp glance at that but didn’t comment.  The Soldiers all gave him curious looks as they filed out.  Some of them glanced back to their instructor with pitying looks that she thankfully missed.  They all knew she had been dating Commander Rhapsodos, and given Commander Hewely’s grim face, they knew what was coming.

Once they were all out of the room, Angeal asked Kris to sit.  Despite his insistence, she refused to.  There was a feeling churning inside her that would not allow her to be still.  She tried to contain it to tapping her fingers against her leg as she looked between Zack and Angeal.  It was made worse by the fact that her brother was there and looked like he had already been run over by a bulldozer.

Neither of them looked like they knew how to start.  Kris almost demanded that they just get on with it, but as soon as she opened her mouth to speak, Zack grabbed her in a tight hug.  He held her so that she couldn’t see what it was that he was holding as he whispered.  “I’m so sorry, Kris.”

She didn’t need him to explain.  The air left her lungs, and her eyes burned, but nothing was moving.  She couldn’t move or think.  Time seemed to stand still in that horrible moment as the realization of all her nightmares crashed down on her.

The moment finally snapped, and she pushed away from him hard enough to break his grasp.  “NO!”  Her breath was heaving, and her tears had finally started.  “No.”  Her second denial was no less heartfelt than the first, but she had caught sight of the red in Zack’s hands.  She stepped forward and took it from him.  She let the length of it fall, so she was able to see the mangled mess.  She could picture the duster so clearly in better days; on Genesis, on her closet door, across her floor.

When she finally looked up, she felt even worse.  Zack looked lost, and for the first time, she had no idea how to lead him.  She couldn’t lead herself out of this waking nightmare, how could she help her brother.  Her thoughts were fragmented, and she didn’t even realize how much her pain was the cause of his look.

She was engulfed in another hug that she didn’t push away.  She didn’t have the strength to.  Zack held her like that for several minutes before he finally pulled away and Angeal stepped forward.  He looked more uncomfortable than she had ever seen him.  It took her several moments to realize he was holding something out to her.  He didn’t speak until she finally accepted it.  “Genesis gave me this for safekeeping.  He told me it was something he wanted to give to you when… when he returned.”

Kris nodded numbly.  “But since he won’t be, you are instead.”

Angeal cringed at her blunt statement but nodded anyway.  She stared down at the tiny box and wondered why it was blurry.  When she realized it was because tears were still streaming down her face, she wiped them and tried to open the box.  Her efforts didn’t help her see better as they were instantly replaced, and her hands were shaking.  Finally, Zack gently took it from her and opened it before he handed it back.

It took her a few moments to comprehend that it was more than a slip of paper.  The paper was sitting on top of a ring that had a chain running through it.  She pulled out the paper and the chain and let the box drop.  She was almost mesmerized as she watched the ring spin in front of her eyes as she held it up.

Under different circumstances, she might have only admired its beauty.  It was a thin band of white gold with a single diamond that was circled by a ring of tiny garnets.  What it symbolized was the thing that had her frozen.  It was an engagement band.  She finally dropped her hand and wiped her eyes again so she could read the note that was with it.

_Love, under different circumstances, I would have given this to you myself with all the adoration you deserve, but life is never as easy as we would like it to be.  The fact that I can not be there with you, to build a future with you; that fact will forever haunt me but do not allow it to ruin you.  Your fierceness in the face of all adversity is an inspiration to many.  Do not let this dim your flames._

_I would ask that you wear this near your heart as a reminder of better times and know that mine will forever be with you.  As much as it pains me to say, I hope that you will someday find a love that can stand with you and be worthy of you.  When that day comes, do not forget me, but do not allow my memory to hold you back._

_Until our next lifetime, remember that you are genuinely beloved by the Goddess and by me.  May we be so lucky as to meet again._

_Forever yours, Genesis_

After she read through it twice, Kris stared at it, not seeing the words for several minutes.  Both Zack and Angeal watched her anxiously as she stared out at nothing until the slip of paper slipped through her nerveless fingers and fluttered to the ground aimlessly.  She still continued to stare at nothing.

The silence dragged on for so long that Zack started fidgeting.  Kris had stopped crying, but her vacant stare worried him more than her tears had.  When he took a step to close the gap between them, her head shot up, and he froze.  She turned and glared at Angeal.

“He knew.”

Angeal flinched under her accusation.  He suspected the same thing but hadn’t wanted to voice it.  Zack missed the look and tried to comfort Kris.  “Of course, he couldn’t have known.  There is no way he would expect to be killed.”

Kris ignored him and continued to stare at Angeal.  “His letter.  He knew he wasn’t coming back.  He kn-“

Her voice had gained in strength, but she cut off mid-sentence and clutched her head.  Both Zack and Angeal rushed forward as she dropped to her knees.  Zack tried to help her back to her feet, but she looked up with wide eyes.  He could tell that she wasn’t seeing him as she started screaming.  He tried to hug her close, but she instantly started fighting him.  It felt like he had grabbed onto a thunderstorm, but he didn’t want to let her go.  He was scared she might hurt herself.

He looked over at Angeal, and his mentor looked just as lost as he felt.  He could finally understand words in Kris’ screams, and he looked down in fear.  She was screaming for him to let her go, to stop hurting her.  He nearly dropped her, but Angeal was by his side and helped him pin her arms.  His look was more than concerned when he caught Zack’s eye.

Angeal was debating on knocking her out just so she wouldn’t hurt herself, but before he could follow through on that thought, Kris let out a piercing scream and went slack in their arms.  Zack lifted her limp body and gave Angeal a worried look.  Somehow, he doubted all of that was just because of the news about Genesis.  Maybe it had been a good idea that they were close to the infirmary.  Neither man spoke their worries aloud as they carried her up to be looked at.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the suspense isn't too bad ;) If it makes it better, I should hopefully have the next chapter out by tomorrow at the latest. We are finally going to see some answers to questions many of you have been asking. For now, I hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think so far!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundtrack for the last part (with Genesis) is 'Will I Fall' by Zayde Wolf

##  **Chapter 24**

Angeal made a point of seeking out one of the female scientists to help them when they took Kris up.  With how she had been acting right before she passed out, he had a feeling that was the wisest course of action.  Luckily, Professor Rayleigh was on hand and was happy to help.

Kris ended up staying in the infirmary for a couple of days.  She had woken not long after she was brought in, but she started screaming and thrashing almost immediately.  Despite Zack’s pleas, they ended up sedating her and restraining her to the bed.  That fact ensured that she couldn’t hurt herself or anyone else, but it made the next time she woke even worse.  When she realized she couldn’t move, her screams were hysterical, and she ended up causing the skin under her restraints to be torn as she fought against them.

Rayleigh ended up having a nurse watch the girl around the clock to make sure that either she was sedated immediately if she woke again, or, as they all hoped, that she would eventually come back to her senses.

It was the end of the second day when Zack was visiting once again, and Kris woke up lucid for the first time.  She had started pulling against her restraints, and she was calling out for help with panic in her voice, but she didn’t sound hysterical.  Zack and the nurse both jumped up as soon as she started moving.  When Kris saw them, she flinched back but stilled instead of fighting.  The nurse called out and got her attention.  “Miss Fair, you are restrained because there was fear that you might hurt yourself.  I would be happy to remove them if you could answer some questions for me.”

Kris eyed the woman for a few seconds before she tried to answer.  Her voice came out gravelly at first, so she cleared her throat and tried again.  “What do you need to know?”

The nurse smiled and pulled a chair closer so that Kris wouldn’t have to keep looking up at her.  “Nothing that should be difficult.  Can you tell me your name?”

Kris’ eyes lost focus and then zeroed in on Zack standing nervously behind the nurse.  When their eyes caught, she started crying.  “I am Kristobel Fair.”

The nurse hadn’t missed the way the girl reacted to her brother, but the tears seemed more relieved than fearful.  If they got worse though, she would ask the boy to leave.  “Good, can you tell me the last thing you remember?”

Kris was still looking at Zack when she answered.  “Everything.”

Zack’s eyes widened as he took in her meaning, but the nurse was giving her a confused look.  “Can you clarify that a little more?”

Kris finally looked back to the nurse with a frown.  “The last thing I remember was Zack and Commander Hewely telling me that Genesis was dead.”

The nurse flinched a little at the matter-of-fact way Kris said those words, but it was enough to prompt her to loosen the restraints.  Kris sat up and scooted into the corner before she pulled the pillow in front of her like a shield.  The nurse frowned at the action but stood.  “I will inform Professor Rayleigh that you are awake and lucid.”  She paused and looked at the way the siblings were staring at each other before she continued.  “Do you feel alright with Soldier Fair staying?”

Kris frowned at the nurse for several moments.  There was still so much that she was trying to sort through, that she didn’t want to talk to anyone, but the way Zack was looking at her made her remember all they had shared.  She finally nodded.  “It’ll be fine.”

Once the nurse was gone, Zack tentatively moved to take the chair the nurse had been using.  He started to reach out for Kris, but she moved before he could touch her.  He gave her a hurt look before he could control it.  When Kris saw it, she sighed and gave him a confused look.  “Zack, you won’t ever betray me, right?  You wouldn’t hurt me?”

Zack didn’t know how to respond, and he couldn’t keep the hurt from his voice.  “I’m sorry that it was me that told you about Genesis.  I just thought it would be better than you hearing it from a stranger.  You know I would never hurt you on purpose.”

Kris started crying again and finally moved so she could hug him.  “I know you wouldn’t.  I’m sorry.  This isn’t about that.”

Even though Kris had started crying again, Zack was glad that she wasn’t pushing him away.  He let her cry on his shoulder for a few moments before he pushed back.  “Do you really remember everything?”

Kris grimaced and gave him a nod.  Zack wasn’t sure how to feel about her answer.  Especially since it seemed to be causing her even more pain.  He still tentatively spoke up.  “Is there someone that you want me to call for you, someone that might be missing you.”

He nearly jumped out of his skin when she grabbed his arm in a vice-like grip to keep him from moving.  “No!”  When she realized how her vehement denial had shocked him, she let go with a sigh.  “There is no one.”

Zack didn’t believe that for a second, but the memories of how she was found came back, and he thought better of pushing.  Even if there was someone, it might be best that they believe her to be dead.  He still had so many questions, even without pushing on that subject.  He didn’t get a chance to ask them as the Professor came in.

“Hello, I am Professor Rayleigh.  It good to see you up and aware.”

Kris eyes the woman with trepidation.  “Professor, not doctor?”

Rayleigh didn’t seem to take offense at the question.  “Well, I do have medical training.  Most of us do.”

Kris looked like she wanted to run, but she forced herself to stand and face the woman.  “The rest of you?  As in Professors Hollander and Hojo?”

The woman raised a brow at the question.  “Yes, they are the top minds in our department, but they are a bit busy to see to something as simple as a breakdown from shock and emotional distress.”

Kris actually relaxed at the woman’s words.  “Of course.  I was only checking something.  I did not mean to imply that I felt your treatment of me was lacking.”

Rayleigh raised a brow at the woman’s stiff response but didn’t mention it.  Instead, she shooed the boy from the room and proceeded to check Kris over.  Once she was done, she signed on the release and gave her a small bottle with a handful of pills.  Kris looked at it questioningly.  Rayleigh smiled.  “They are for your anxiety.  Your reaction was one of the worst I’ve seen.  You seem fine now, but if you feel like it starts to become overwhelming again, then take one of those.  It will help.”

Kris fought to keep a grimace off her face.  The news about Genesis had been a catalyst, but not in the way everyone seemed to think.  There had been a barrier in her mind that had broken as memories of her previous life refused to continue to be ignored.  As much pain as she had been in at the thought of Genesis being dead, that was nothing to the pain of her memories returning.  There was a good reason they had been blocked.

Still, she gave the woman a nod and thanks as she made her way out to where Zack was waiting.  He gave her a tentative smile that she returned as he walked with her out of the building and to the train.  As soon as they got home, Kris made her way to her room.  She stopped with one hand on the door and turned to see Zack watching her with worry.  She tossed the stuff in her arms on her bed before she went back into the living room and gave him a hug.

He was smiling when she let him go, and it was a little easier for her to respond in kind as she spoke.  “You know tadpole, I don’t think I can ever thank you enough.”

He grimaced at her use of the nickname that she had been using since they were younger but raised his brow.  “You don’t have to thank me for anything.  That’s what family is for.”

She started crying as soon as he said it, but still managed to give him a weak grin.  “I know, but you will never know… when you found me, you saved me in more ways than one.  I don’t think I could have made it near as well if I didn’t have you here with me.”

  Zack suddenly realized that she was talking about her recently returned memories and pulled her in for another hug.  “I’ll always be here for you, sis.  Don’t forget that.”

She started crying harder, and he let her.  As strong as his curiosity was, there was no way he was going to force her to talk if it caused this much pain.  When she pushed back again.  She gave him a nod.  “I need some time.  I’ll talk about it eventually, but I still need to sort it all out.”  He gave her a nod as she walked back into her room.

* * *

 

Kris ended up staying in her room for several days; only coming out when she absolutely had to.  Angeal and Sephiroth had both come to check on her, but she had refused to see them.  Zack tried to explain that it probably didn’t have anything to do with either of them.  Thankfully, they both seemed to understand.

The morning of the fourth day, Kris was in the shower when Zack got up for work.  He was shocked when she came out with a determined look.  As bad as she had taken everything, he expected her to still be grieving.  Especially when he went back and got that letter from her classroom.  He had put the necklace on her while she was sleeping, and put the letter up for safekeeping.  He may not have liked Genesis, but it wasn’t his place to destroy the little of him she had left.  As far as he could tell, she still had the necklace on.  At least he could see the chain peeking out from her shirt.

He didn’t have time to ask her about it, though.  He had been given a couple of days off to help her if needed, but he had to get back to work.  He was further shocked to see her ready to go to work with him when he came out.  He gave her a questioning look.  “Sis, are you sure you want to go in today?  They said it was alright if you took some time off.”

She grimaced slightly.  “I will have to call Mr. Alexandros about this weekend, but I have to talk to Sephiroth and Angeal.  This has already waited too long for me to get my head straight.”

The look he gave her was clearly unconvinced.  “Uh-“

She cut him off before he could get started.  “I want you there too.  I only want to go over this once.”

He was shocked by how even her voice was.  It almost sounded like she was angry about something.  He still expected her to be crying at the mention of Soldier.  He would have understood that, but this was unexpected.  He didn’t get a chance to keep asking about it, though, as she was already headed to the door.  She looked back at him as she opened the door.  “Are you coming?”  He nodded without thinking and followed her out.

* * *

 

Kris didn’t wait to see if the head Soldiers were in a meeting.  She was barely slowed by all of her students as they saw her passing through.  Many of them stopped her long enough to give their condolences.  Zack could tell she was tolerating it, but she looked more irritated by it then sad at the constant reminders.  The closer they got to his mentor’s office, the more worried he got.  He was beginning to wonder if something was terribly wrong.

By the time they made it to Angeal’s office, there was a general uproar on the Soldier floor.  None of them had expected to see Kris back for a couple of weeks at least, and definitely not with a steely glint in her eyes.  She didn’t have the air of a grieving woman.

She paused outside the doors and looked back and forth between the two offices before she knocked on Sephiroth’s door.  She barely waited for the voice inside to answer before she swung the door open.  She was glad that both Firsts were there.  “Good.  I need to speak to both of you.”

Sephiroth raised a brow at her announcement.  Angeal gave her a worried look.  “Are you alright to be back?”

She finally allowed her grimace to form at his question.  “I am far from alright, but that will not stop me. We have things to discuss, and I have a feeling it isn’t going to be easy for me to convince you both.”

They both looked over her shoulder to where Zack was standing.  The younger man shrugged.  He was still as shocked by her behavior as they were.  Kris rolled her eyes and moved to stand right in front of Sephiroth.  “Let me get straight to the point.  I know I had a breakdown, but that was not because of Genesis’ bullshit.  It was because I finally remembered my past.”

Sephiroth gave her a confused look and Angeal looked shocked.  They both tried to speak at once, but Angeal paused and let Sephiroth speak.  “Remembered your past?  What are you talking about?”

Kris gave Angeal a questioning look.  He looked abashed.  “Well, from what I could understand, it wasn’t something that you wanted to be common knowledge.”

Kris shook her head with a frown.  “You and Genesis are his best friends.  I fully expected you to share.”

Sephiroth interrupted with a low voice.  “That is a moot point now.  Explain.”

Kris sighed and looked at him.  “Long story short, Zack found me half-dead outside his village when he was twelve.  When I came to and had no memory of who I was, the Fairs adopted me.  The shock of being told the man I love was dead finally broke my memories loose.”

All three of the men were back to looking uncomfortable.  She had been so dispassionate about the retelling.  Angeal put a hand on her shoulder.  “I can understand why it was a shock, but what do your memories have to do with why you are here?”

Kris sighed.  This was going even worse than she expected.  They were all still treating her with kid gloves.  “Everything.  Let’s start with the fact that I know that Genesis faked his death.  I also know where he is.”

Kris almost wanted to smile, despite how painful it was just to keep breathing.  The nearly identical looks of shock were pretty humorous.  That didn’t last long.  Zack was suddenly firing off questions to her side, and Angeal looked like she had just slapped him. 

Sephiroth ended up having to raise his voice to silence everyone.  The look he gave her was pitying, and Kris had to fight the urge to smack it off his face.  She reminded herself that it wasn’t his fault.

“I understand why it might be difficult for you to admit he is gone, but we did not list him as dead without good reason.”

Kris just raised a brow.  Even Sephiroth had to fight the urge to step back uncomfortably at the look she leveled his way.  “Oh, like his bloodied duster?  Or are you saying you actually found his body?  Because I will bet you, anything you want, that you didn’t.  Because he isn’t dead.”

She barely saw Angeal grimace next to her.  She hadn’t needed to see it to know she was right.  Still, Sephiroth did not sound convinced.  “Why would he fake his death.”

It was Kris’ turn to grimace.  She had to fight back the urge to leave the office and head straight upstairs.  It was only the knowledge that it wouldn’t do her any good until these men were all on the same page with her.  She did scowl up at him.  “He had a damn good reason, and he can tell you himself when we go fetch him.  At least he can once I’m done with him.”

Sephiroth had no idea what to think about the woman.  She didn’t show any signs of someone delusional, or depressed.  If he didn’t know differently, he would say she was being truthful.  She did have a point in that they had not found Genesis’ body.  Or not confirmed that the remains they found were his, to be more exact.  Still, he had a feeling she would not leave until he at least heard her out, so he humored her.  “If you have information on Genesis’ possible whereabouts, you should share that information so we can investigate.”

Kris narrowed her eyes and shook her head.  “No dice.  I will not share anything until you agree to take me.”

Sephiroth clenched his jaw.  She was just as stubborn as Genesis ever was.  He wondered how they hadn’t fought more.  He shook the random thought off.  “I cannot allow a civilian to go into a military investigation.  Yes, you are a Shinra employee, but that is not the same thing.”

Kris opened her mouth to give him a scathing retort but was cut off by a smooth voice behind them.  “I may be able to help.”

They all four turned to see Tseng standing in the doorway.  Kris cursed under her breath before she glared at him.  “Do you have the senses of a vulture or something?”

He raised a brow at her question but brushed it off.  “I had been told you were back, so I wanted to come to offer my condolences.  I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but your voice could be heard in the hallway.”

Kris hadn’t lost her glare, but Sephiroth used the pause to speak.  “What do you mean, you can help?”

Tseng stepped further into the office and shut the door.  “I believe that if Miss Fair wants to join an investigation into Genesis’ disappearance, I have the solution.”  Kris huffed and rolled her eyes at his smug look.  She had a feeling she knew what was coming next.  He looked straight at her as he continued.  “You could become a Turk.  Once you do, I could authorize a team to be sent.”

Kris shook her head.  “I knew it.  You are a damn vulture.”

He gave her an expectant look.  Kris clenched her fists several times and gritted her teeth.  His solution was a good one, but she hated that he had her cornered.  Finally, she nodded.  “Fine.  Get the damn suit.”

Tseng gave her a smirk and pulled out his phone.  He nodded to Sephiroth when he hung up.  “I will have Miss Fair’s uniform here shortly.  In the meantime, why don’t we get the details of our next mission.”

* * *

 

Genesis was barely paying attention to Hollander’s ranting.  The man seemed to be complaining once again that Genesis had not brought the Soldiers that had been requested.  He grimaced as he remembered it.  When he even thought about bringing them, all he could picture was the fact that if fate had been different, one of them might have been the Puppy.  If he had allowed Hollander to do what he wished, then Kristobel’s hatred would have been justified and lasting.  No, it was better that they find another way.

Genesis stood and Hollander cut off mid-sentence.  The scientist was already wondering if it had been a bad idea to convince Genesis to leave.  He thought he would be able to control him with promises to fix the degradation, but the Soldier’s temper was flighty and often as not turned to Hollander himself.  He didn’t say anything as Genesis walked out.

When he was gone, Hollander cursed.  He had managed to get a couple of villagers without Genesis’ help and had made clones out of them.  They didn’t have the strength of Soldiers, though, and the first one had died as soon as he exited the machine.  It was that man that they had used to fake Genesis’ death.  He was irritated that Genesis hadn’t wanted to be part of that either.  It was like the man didn’t care if he died, or worse, had figured out that Hollander didn’t have a clue how to fix him.  At least he was still alive.  If he felt that Genesis’ mind was slipping to the point that he might actually kill him, then he would run.  For now, he would use what resources he could scrounge and keep trying to convince the Soldier that he was the only way to the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I promised answers, but it looks like the bulk of them are pushed to the next chapter. We should see that one today or tomorrow, though, so hopefully it won't be too bad. At least we see that she remembers. Thanks for reading!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The soundtrack for this chapter is 'I'll Be Good' by Jaymes Young (Genesis POV) and 'Man or a Monster' by Sam Tinnesz (Kris POV). Enjoy!

##  **Chapter 25**

Kris had been brief when she explained where Genesis was.  Any other questions they had, she flatly refused to answer.  Part of it was the fact that she wanted them to hear it straight from Genesis since they would be more likely to believe him, but the rest was simply that she couldn’t bring herself to talk about it.  It was a constant struggle for her to keep her recently unlocked memories out of the forefront of her mind.  If she let them have free rein, she doubted she would be able to do more than curl in a corner and cry.

The constant effort had her on edge.  Even Tseng gave her questioning looks a time or two, and Reno didn’t say anything after his first comment on how good she looked in the suit.  She felt the worst for Zack, but at least he seemed to be understanding.  She knew it would help her to talk about everything, but it would have to wait.  She couldn’t afford the downtime yet.

Despite the limited information she gave them, Tseng agreed to go with her to Banora where she claimed Genesis was in hiding.  It took more effort to convince both Sephiroth and Angeal to go as well, especially since the war effort was already on hold due to Genesis’ absence.  Her flat refusal to share anything until they agreed was the only way she was able to get them to go along with her.

Kris wasn’t so sure about Zack coming as well since she had a feeling the meeting was going to be painful all around, but her brother had insisted, and Angeal had agreed.  Since Kris had no real control over that side, she couldn’t refute him.  Plus, a part of her was glad that he would be there.  She could use all the emotional support she could get.

Once everything was agreed on, it only took them a half-day to prepare everything.  That meant by that same evening, the team was on a helicopter and headed east.  It wasn’t until they had been in the air for nearly an hour that Kris called out to Tseng over the comms.  “You were incredibly accommodating.  Why did you agree so easily?”

Though Tseng was piloting, and she couldn’t see his face, she could still hear the hint of humor in his voice.  “We already had intelligence that he might have retreated to Banora.  Your insistence was simply confirmation.”

Kris snorted.  “Figures.”  That was the last of their conversation. 

It ended up taking them several days to get there, even with Tseng and Sephiroth taking turns piloting.  It was one of the most uncomfortable trips Kris had ever been on, but she refused to complain.  She spent most of the trip thinking about what she would say to Genesis when she saw him.  None of it played out well for the Commander.  At least not in her head.

When they finally arrived at the village, Kris took a moment to stretch out a few kinks before she turned to Angeal.  Everyone gave her curious looks as she addressed him.  “Where are the caves from here?”

He looked confused.  “Which caves?”

Kris sighed.  She should have known to be more specific.  “The ones that have the entrance near the apple juice factory.  The ones you and Genesis used to play in as children.”

Understanding lit his eyes before confusion set back in.  He supposed it wasn’t too surprising that Genesis had shared that fact with her, but she would be the first woman for him to have done so with.  He mentally shrugged.  She was also the first woman his friend had given an engagement ring to.  Even if it had been after he was gone.  He looked around to get his bearings and pointed East.  “The entrance should be that way.”

All of the men gave her curious looks as she headed off without looking back.  Zack shook off his worry and rushed to catch up with her.  There was something he had wanted to say to her, but he had needed some time to work it out.  She glanced at him curiously as he reached her side.  He scratched the back of his head as he started out tentatively.

“Uh, sis, I just wanted to ask you what you might do if we go in here and Genesis isn’t there.”

She didn’t pause, but she did give him a smile.  “I know you’re worried about me, but don’t be.”  His worried look only increased at her answer, but he didn’t get to press her.  She had turned and the look she was giving him nearly made him freeze.  “If you feel the need to worry about someone, make it Genesis.  You may not like him much, and he may or may not be happy to see me, but I promise that he won’t like the reunion.”

Even Sephiroth raised a brow at the venom in her words.  He was beginning to wonder if it would be wiser to have her wait outside while they went to retrieve Genesis.  It was a moot point as they had reached the caves by then, and she didn’t pause for direction.  He sighed and followed her, hoping that if they did find Genesis, he wouldn’t need to patch his missing Commander up after the meeting.

Kris only paused a few times when they came to off-shooting branches in the cave and asked Angeal to point them to the place where Genesis spent most of his time.  In a relatively short amount of time, the group entered a part of the cavern that opened up.  To nearly everyone’s shock, Genesis was standing on the other side of the natural room with his back toward them.  His voice was the only thing to cut the sudden silence.

“My friend, the fates are cruel.  There are no dreams, no honor remains.”

Before he was even done speaking Kris was visibly shaking.  Zack almost grabbed her but didn’t realize she was moving in time to stop her.  She circled around Genesis but didn’t stop when his eyes widened with shock.  All three of the Soldiers cringed at what played out next.  Kris’ voice exploded from her, as did her fist.  “You’re damn right there is no honor!”

Genesis didn’t move, even after her fist connected with his jaw.  He simply stood there, staring at her as she cradled her fist to her middle.  “Kristobel, how are you here?”

She grimaced.  “Were you expecting Angeal, or maybe Tseng?  What were you thinking!”

He flinched slightly at the vitriol in her statement, but she didn’t allow him to say anything.  “You let me believe you were dead!”

He reached for her, and she took a step back.  By that time, her tears had finally started.  She pulled the chain from inside her shirt and broke it with a yank.  She threw it to him.  “You couldn’t give this to me yourself?  Was that supposed to be some sort of consolation, or did you believe I wouldn’t accept it from you directly?  I thought you knew that I would be there for you no matter what.  I told you I loved you.  You made love to me and still thought it would be alright to leave me?”

Kris had forgotten it was more than Genesis and she in the room.  At her last words, Zack jumped to try and tackle the man, but both Angeal and Sephiroth held him back.  Kris’ attention was drawn his yelling, but not for long as Genesis finally replied.

“I felt it would be better for you to believe me gone.  The truth is far more painful.”

Kris stepped up to him and banged her hands against his chest, but there was no power behind the strikes as she tried to talk through her sobbing.  “The truth that you’re dying?  That you believe so many of Hollander’s lies?”  Her fists were still clenched in his shirt as she looked up to him despairingly.  “Tell me that you didn’t let him convince you to start killing villagers.”

He flinched at her accusation.  He had no idea how she had found out about the fact that he was dying, but the thought fled as he watched horror grow in her eyes as she took a step back.

“Tell me that you didn’t kill your parents.”  She took another step back and started shaking at his continued silence.  “Oh god, Genesis, please tell me you didn’t kill your parents.”

She had fallen to her knees by that point and was holding herself tightly.  She had started shaking, and it looked as though she were physically trying to keep herself from falling apart.  As full of anger as Genesis was at his circumstances, the sight of her despair moved him in ways he did not understand.  Before he could even think, he was kneeling in front of her and gathering her into his arms.

“Love, I did not harm anyone.  Their betrayal of me, of Angeal, it nearly caused me to allow Hollander to do as he pleased, but when I thought of you, I would not allow it.”

Kris had stopped shaking by that point, but she was still sobbing.  She had finally allowed Genesis to cradle her to him as he continued.  “The people that claim to be my parents, their betrayal was almost more than I could bear, but when I was faced by the choice to end them, all I could think of was the relationship you have with Zachary.  You are not blood, but you are siblings in every way that matters.  I doubt I could find two blood relatives as dedicated to each other as the two of you.  Thinking of that, how could I kill them.”

Kris reached up and cupped his face as she looked in his eyes for the truth.  She found agony and confusion, but no lies.  She let her head fall onto his chest.  “They love you.  It may take time to see it, but they are your parents in all the ways that make a difference.  If Shinra came to them even now, they would lie and say they didn’t know where you were.”

His jaw clenched at her words.  “You have no idea what you are talking about.”

Kris banged her fist against his chest once more.  “No!  You have no idea.  I know more than you could possibly imagine.  I know your degradation will be the death of you if we can’t stop it, and Hollander is an idiot pretending to give a shit.  There has to be another way, and I will help you.  Don’t keep running away!”

Genesis clenched his jaw again, but stood and helped her to her feet as well.  “I do not know how you found out about the abomination I am, but I refuse to drag you into this.  Unless a miracle is provided, it is best that the world believes me dead.  I cannot stay with you.”

Kris clenched her fists by her side and gritted her teeth.  “You are only a monster if you allow yourself to act like one.  I will not leave you to this alone.  Don’t ask me to.”

Something flitted through his eyes and Kris wasn’t sure if it was rage or despair, or a mixture of both, but once it was gone, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her again.  “Stubborn woman.”

Kris’ lips quirked up into a reluctant half-smile as she allowed the embrace to continue.  Whatever she had been going to say was cut off by the sound of a woman’s voice.  “ _Felicity, Genesis, come to me_.”

Kris froze, and her eyes grew wide.  She looked up at Genesis and realized he must have heard it too.  He was giving her a confused look as he mouthed the unfamiliar name.  “Felicity?”

Kris clenched her jaw as she tried not to be overcome by memories of another lifetime.  It took her several moments to get herself back under control, and the voice called again.  Genesis looked around before he looked back to her.  “Who is Felicity?”

Kris could barely manage to speak, and her voice was bitter.  “Felicity Spence is dead.  All that remains is Kristobel Fair.”

His eyes widened as understanding hit him.  He cupped her chin and looked into her eyes.  “You remembered?”

She managed to nod.  “Everything.  And I am not talking about it.”

He sighed and pulled her in tighter.  When the voice spoke once more, he glanced down at her.  “Who is calling us?”

Kris sighed and finally stepped back.  Her eyes were tired when she looked at him.  “If I had to guess, I would say Minerva.”

Genesis froze.  “Did you say, Minerva?  As in the Goddess?”

Kris nodded and finally noticed the rest of the people still in the room, giving her looks as if she had finally lost it.  She shook her head and turned back to Genesis.  “Why don’t you lead the way?”

He frowned slightly.  “Lead the way to the Goddess?  And how, pray tell, am I to do that?”

Kris looked around, but everything was only barely recognizable.  She had seen the room before, but standing in it was a completely different experience.  Plus it had been a very long time ago.  She finally looked back to him.  “Since we both heard her, then I would expect her to be here somewhere.  My guess would be that she is using the Goddess materia to manifest on the planet.  I don’t know exactly how to get there, but you have been there before.”

Genesis was staring at her like he didn’t know her.  Kris almost chuckled at the irony.  There was a large part of her that he didn’t know.  She shoved the thought down, though.  Now was not the time to bring that up.

Angeal had joined them and looked between the two lovers.  He addressed Genesis.  “I get the feeling that you did not tell her.”

Genesis shook his head.  “No.”  Despite the unsurety in his eyes, he still stepped forward and took Kris’ hand before he turned back to Angeal.  “But I did ask for a miracle.  Perhaps I was given one without ever knowing.”

Kris felt her heart clench.  Part of it was the fact that she felt loved, despite Genesis hiding from her, but more of it was the fact that she didn’t feel like a miracle.  She felt like a shattered vase that someone had put back together but forgot to glue.  It wouldn’t take much for her to fall apart.  Even so, she allowed him to lead her further into the caves and tried to ignore the pain ripping her to shreds as the rest of the group followed.

On the way to the room, Tseng came up to Kris’ other side.  He didn’t say anything until she turned her head to raise a brow at him.  “Yes?”

He looked like he was still contemplating what he had to say.  “Is Felicity Spence your real name?”

She ground her teeth at the question.  She wasn’t surprised Tseng was the one to ask, but she had no plans on sharing yet.  “I am Kristobel Fair, and that is all that matters.  Anything else is from a lifetime long past and out of reach.”

He raised a brow and looked like he was going to ask something else, but she held up a hand.  “Not now, Tseng.  I can’t talk about it now.”

Tseng’s lips thinned, but when Genesis added his glare to hers, Tseng graciously stepped away.  Zack was quick to fill the empty spot.  He grabbed her other hand and gave her a grin.  He squeezed her fingers and let go.  Kris gave him a grateful smile and grabbed his hand back.  With her brother on one side and her lover on the other, it was easier for her to hold herself together.

It wasn’t long after Tseng’s attempted interrogation that they reached the door they were looking for.  Kris took a moment to look at it in awe.  There was a feeling of reverence that permeated the air.  She smiled softly at the fact that Zack and Genesis both shared in her sense of wonder, even though Genesis had seen it before.

Finally, he and Angeal both stepped forward and pushed one of the doors.  Kris followed them into the room with Zack and Tseng following right after.  Kris noticed the cavern was lit by a few cracks in the ceiling.  The beams that came down seemed to focus on the branched materia that appeared to be growing up from the floor.  She walked directly up the statue and looked up with curiosity.  The whole setup was almost like a temple.  As she looked around, she realized it may have been at one time.

She was pulled from her exploration by Tseng’s voice.  “This is a significant find, but I do not understand why we have come here.  What is the purpose?”

Kris frowned and looked around.  She had expected something to happen when they got there but wasn’t sure what.  It was at that point that she saw Sephiroth was still standing in the doorway.  He clearly looked uncomfortable, and Kris felt a pulse of fear run through her.  Despite how she felt Sephiroth was currently innocent, that didn’t mean things would go smoothly.  She tentatively called out to him.  “Sephiroth?  Are you alright?”

His head jerked up, and he frowned at her.  When he caught sight of the fear in her stance, he rubbed his hand down his face and stepped into the room.  “I apologize.  I was simply looking for the source of the voice we heard.”

Kris was shocked that it wasn’t just she and Genesis that had heard Minerva, but that thought fled when the door slammed shut as soon as Sephiroth was in the room.  The General spun and tried to push the door open again, but it wouldn’t budge.  Kris noticed that there were streamers of pale green light tracing across the floor as well.  This was more like what she was expecting.  She doubted she had any reason to be afraid, but she still stepped closer to Genesis and took his hand.

Genesis smiled down at her, but his gaze was drawn to where she was fixedly staring.  He was shocked to see a tall woman in armor seem to step straight from the statue.  He didn’t need to be told that they were suddenly in the presence of a deity.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the cliffhanger, but the end was feeling a bit rushed, so I decided to cut off here and rework the rest of this scene. We shouldn't have too long to wait. Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think so far. I know Kris is still quite the conundrum.


	26. Chapter 26

##  **Chapter 26**

It was a matter of seconds before every other eye turned to see the woman, and all movement stopped.  Kris noticed Sephiroth take a step back, but he quickly frowned and joined Angeal.  She hoped whatever was going on with him would be handled before things got out of control.

Her attention was drawn back when Minerva finally spoke.  “So many champions.”  She then looked to Kris and held out her hand.  “Child.”

Kris hesitated, but not for long. She tried to let go of Genesis’ hand and walk forward, but he wouldn’t release her.  He stepped forward with her instead.  If that bothered Minerva, she didn’t show it.  Instead, she put a gentle hand on Kris’ shoulder.  “I had hoped that your second chance would have been gentler.”

Kris looked up with confusion.  “Why?  Why am I even here?”

The Goddess gave her a soft smile.  “A prayer.  You were so young and had already given so much.  You had earned your rest, but a prayer from your father asked that you find happiness wherever you went.  We decided to give you the chance to find it.  It was never our intention for you to be drawn into this.”

Kris had been soothed at the Goddess’ touch, but at the mention of her father, all the pain and rage she had been feeling resurfaced.  She knew it wasn’t wise, but she stepped back and glared at Minerva.  “How could that be possible when you put me outside Gongaga.  Surely you knew what that would mean!”

By that point, most of the men around her had realized that there was some connection between Kris and the woman.  Both Zack and Genesis stepped forward.  Genesis was still awestruck, but Zack looked at Minerva with a frown.  “You are the one that put Kris in the forest?”

Minerva looked to him with a nod.  His frown grew.  “Then why was she hurt so badly?”

Kris stiffened at the question and put her hand on Zack’s arm.  “Don’t.  Don’t ask about that.  All you need to know is that she saved me.”

He gave her a confused look but backed down.  Genesis finally found his voice at that point.  “You are the one that called to us?”

Minerva nodded once again.  “Your path was one of pain and betrayal, but a pebble has been dropped, and ripples are spreading.  Things are changing.  If you have the strength and courage, disaster and despair may be averted.”

Genesis frowned at her reply, but Sephiroth stepped forward.  “Who are you?”

Kris had no idea what to expect from Minerva where Sephiroth was concerned, but she should have anticipated the look of pity from the Goddess.  Sephiroth did not seem pleased to see it.  His voice became harder.  “Why did you call us here?  What is your goal?”

All the Soldiers were giving him worried looks.  He sounded nothing like his normally calm self.  He either didn’t see them, or he ignored them, and his glare became heated at her next words.

“Child of the Calamity.  That burden never should have been yours to bear.  It is heavy and terrible, but it can be negated if you dare to face the unknown.”

To everyone’s shock, the Masamune suddenly appeared in his hand, and he pointed it at Minerva.  “You will open the door now.”  The only sign that she acknowledged his threat at all was a slight narrowing of her eyes.  Almost as soon as she did, Sephiroth clutched his head and fell to his knees.

Kris heard most of the people around her cry out, and she ran forward to check on him.  She stopped before she reached him when she noticed that everything seemed to have stilled around her.  She looked back and saw the other Soldiers in mid-stride.  Even the currents of the lifestream around them seemed to be frozen.  She turned and saw Minerva watching her.  She tentatively took a few more steps, and the Goddess gave her a nod.

“Now is the time for your decision.  I cannot hold them for long.”

Kris looked at her with confusion.  “Decision?  I don’t even know what choices I have been given.  What is going on?”

“We do not know how the currents of time will play out.  We can see possibilities, but that is all.  When we decided to bring you to Gaia, we did not see you ending up here.  We had only hoped to be able to save a few.”

Kris held up a hand.  “You are telling me that you put me in Gongaga to save Zack?”

The Goddess didn’t flinch.  “Among others.”

Kris had to take a deep breath to keep from snapping.  She understood the necessity to make hard choices sometimes.  The fact that it included people she loved just made it hard to hear.  “Fine, I understand your choice.  What does that have to do with me making a decision?”

Minerva remained unruffled.  “I wanted you to understand that you were never meant to be at this crossroads, but now that you are here, you have the opportunity to do more than allow yourself to ride the tides of fate.”

Kriss narrowed her eyes.  “I have already started doing what I can to help.  I care about all of these men, and I refuse to sit idly by and watch them destroy themselves.”

For the first time since she arrived, Minerva gave her a smile, but it dimmed quickly.  “Yes, and that is why I am offering you a choice.  Your actions will make changes, but there are some things that cannot be altered with words alone.”

Kris’ eyes jerked to Sephiroth frozen and clutching his head and understanding dawned on her.  “You are saying that somehow I can change the influence Jenova has on him?”

The Goddess nodded.  “Not only him; although he is the most urgent.  If we do not act, the others may be able to restrain him until you find a solution, or none of you may make it out of this cavern alive.  Either way, my presence has alerted the Calamity to a possible thorn in her side.  Also, know this, If you choose to help, you will be altered.  There will be no going back.”

Kris took a step back and shook her head.  She had no idea why it was she being offered the choice.  She currently barely felt up to handling herself.  Her doubt showed in her voice.  “Why does it have to be me?”

Minerva looked at her for a moment before she pointed to the others.  “Two of the champions are no better off.  It will only be a matter of time before the dark harbinger finds her way into their minds as well.  Out of the other two, one has hardened his heart.  It is not made of stone, but he will need to relearn flexibility.  It will not come easy.  The last is an innocent.  Despite his travels, he has yet to be tainted by hardship.  He could not understand what is needed.”

Kris closed her eyes and felt a tear fall.  She had already known she would say yes.  She just hoped she would be enough.  She opened her eyes and nodded.  “What do I need to do?”

Minerva put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.  “Even in this place, I have limited influence on the surface of Gaia.  For my will to be done, I require a conduit.  You would serve that purpose.”

Kris swallowed.  That sounded ominous.  “What does that mean?”

“Exactly how it seems.”  Minerva paused and tilted her head slightly.  “I will warn you that it will be painful.  Do you still agree?”

Kris could feel herself shaking.  She was still learning to deal with the memory of her past torment, and the idea of willingly allowing another to cause her pain nearly made her vomit.  Despite how much she loved Zack and Genesis, she almost ran.  She took a deep breath and turned to look at all of them.  Their faces were frozen in looks of concern.  Even Genesis.  Seeing Zack and the memory of what would happen to him if she didn’t act was what finally made her turn back to face Minerva.

Tears were streaming down her face, but her voice was steady.  “Tell me what to do.”

Minerva graced her with a peaceful smile.  “You must make contact with his skin and do not let go, no matter what.”

Kris gave her a nod and walked over to the man that she had considered a friend.  She may not have been as close to him as the others, but he was just as deserving of a second chance.  She kept those thoughts in mind as she placed a hand on each side of his face. 

Once she was in place, Minerva called out a reminder.  “Make certain you will not slip.”  Kris nodded without looking back and pressed in tightly.  She knew it would probably be uncomfortable in the best of circumstances, but she had a feeling that was going to be the least of his worries.  Once she was sure that her hands would not slip, she gave another nod, and all hell broke loose.

Genesis, Zack, and Angeal had been next to Kris, but suddenly, she was standing across the room and holding onto Sephiroth.  None of them had time to try and process the change before they watched in horror as the Goddess hefted her spear and plunged it into Kris’ back.  They immediately sprang to try and stop whatever was going on but ran into an invisible barrier after only a couple of steps.  Zack took out his sword and started trying to cut into it, with little success.  His voice was breaking as he watched the scene in front of him.  “Kris!”

Genesis had already started trying to blow a hole in it as well.  When he saw that his magic was not any more effective than Zack’s sword, he started banging on it and screaming.  “Kristobel!”

Inside the bubble that the goddess had created, Kris had barely had time to notice that it felt like she had been struck by lightning that immediately shot through her and into Sephiroth.  He had been unfrozen at the same time as everyone else, and his hands instantly moved from his head to her wrists. 

Kris tried to talk over the spasms that were racking her body.  “Don’t… fight against… me!  Fight… with me!   Fi- aagh!”  Her voice was cut off as a piercing scream ripped from her.  Her head was thrown back, and light seemed to be shining from inside her.

Kris could barely spare a thought for the fact that he had not tried to remove her hands, but had she not already felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside, the tightness of his grip would have been enough to make her scream.  Kris lost all sense of time as the Goddess’ power rushed through her and into Sephiroth.  She could barely feel him.

It ended as abruptly as it started.  Minerva pulled her spear back, and Kris swayed dangerously before she fell forward.  She barely had the presence of mind to be relieved that Sephiroth caught her.  He shifted her slightly as he stood and looked down at her with a mixture of fear and awe.  “What did you do?”

Kris grimaced and swallowed a few times before her voice would work.  “Is it quiet?”

He gave her a confused look, but not for long.  A sudden realization nearly made him drop her.  He looked down again with wonder.  “It is.  I never realized it was there until its absence.  What-?” 

He couldn’t manage to finish his question, but Kris gave him a weak grin.  “Good.”

By that time, Minerva had already allowed the barrier to fall.  The only thing that kept Genesis from attacking her was the fact that his fiancé was hanging limply from Sephiroth’s arms and her well-being trumped revenge.  At least for the moment.  Sephiroth handed her over without comment. 

The only contention was Zack, but he was more worried about making sure Kris wasn’t going to bleed out than who was carrying her.  When he finally managed to get a look at her back, he found no wound.  He looked back to Minerva with confusion.  “What just happened?”

At Zack’s question, all of the men turned.  It was a question they all shared.  The Goddess nodded to the girl who had already passed out.  “She has made a great sacrifice for you all.  She is now the key to your sanity and survival.  Protect her well.”

Despite several curses and cries for more information, the Goddess turned to leave.  She was almost back to the statue when she turned back once more.  “As a token of my gratitude, please pass on a message when she wakes.  Tell her that her father was never there.”  At their confused looks, she smiled slightly.  “She will understand.”  She disappeared almost immediately afterward.

As soon as she was gone, the doors finally opened.  Genesis insisted that they get Kris someplace where she could be tended, and no one bothered to argue.  He quickly led them out of the caves through a different entrance that was closer to the house he once lived in as a child.

Despite the issue with his parents that still needed to be resolved, it was the one place with the best resources and room.  He didn’t bother to knock before he entered and took her to an upstairs bedroom.  That left the others in the foyer to try and explain to the couple that came out to meet them.

Zack could instantly tell why no one thought to question the fact that Genesis was their child.  The man had hair the color of a fading sunset and the woman was still lovely, despite her age.  Since no one else was saying anything, he took it upon himself to introduce them.  He stepped forward with a grin. 

“Hi.  I’m Zack Fair, Soldier Second-Class and these guys are a couple of my bosses.  This is Commander Angeal Hewley, and the other is General Sephiroth.”  He lowered his voice at that point.  “Although, I guess you probably didn’t need either of them introduced, huh?”

They both stared at him for several moments before the woman finally stepped forward with a smile, even if they could tell it was strained.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”  She paused and looked up the stairs.  “Was that Genesis?”

Zack’s false cheer failed him at that point.  “Yeah.  My sister was hurt, and he said this was the best place to get her help.”

She gave him a worried look and started to step forward, but Angeal caught her attention and clapped Zack on the shoulder.  “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.”  He gave the woman a smile.  “It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Rhapsodos.”

The soft smile she gave him was genuine but short-lived as he turned back to the others.  “I was thinking about going and visiting my mother, but would you mind helping these gentlemen settle in?  I don’t know how long we’re going to be here, but I’m sure we will all have a lot to talk about soon.”

Mr. Rhapsodos gave him a curt nod.  “I’m sure we will.”

Angeal whispered something to Sephiroth as he turned to leave, but no one else heard it.  It didn’t matter as the woman of the house had finally regained her sense of propriety.  “Please excuse my manners.  My shock should not have prevented me from welcoming you properly.  Please wait here, and we will have rooms prepared for you.  It won’t take long.”

None of the men had a chance to protest before she was gone.  It didn’t take her long at all before she was back and led them to several rooms upstairs.  She pointed to the last door on the right before she spoke.  “That is Genesis’ room, and I believe that is where he took your sister.  These are the closest rooms to his.  Please feel free to make yourselves at home.  If you are hungry, I can have the kitchen prepare something.”

They all nodded and watched as the couple walked away before they all headed into a single room.  Despite their weariness, they had too much to discuss.  Besides, none of them felt like sleeping until they heard something about Kris.  Not even Tseng.

* * *

 

Kris shot up with a scream.  Her hand flew to her mouth as a wave of nausea hit her.  She looked around frantically at the unfamiliar surroundings.  She almost lost it right there, but light coming out of a slightly opened door revealed a bathroom.  She gritted her teeth and tried to untangle from the covers in a rush.  She nearly fell out of the bed but managed to make it before her stomach emptied itself.

She was so panicked that she had not noticed Genesis had been in bed with her.  At her mad scramble, he woke and was quickly by her side.  She flinched at his touch when he tried to soothe her.  Had she not been violently ill, she probably would have screamed.  It took her a moment to recognize his voice and finally relaxed.

By that time they both realized a certain Puppy was banging on the door and yelling.  “Kris!  Are you alright?”

Genesis sighed but called out.  “The door is unlocked.  Make sure the others stay out.”  He doubted Kristobel would appreciate an audience.

Zack was almost instantly standing in the bathroom doorway and looking on with concern.  “Is she okay?”

Kris groaned and heaved herself into a sitting position.  She was still crying, but she wiped at her mouth and gave him a nod.  “I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Zack’s eyes widened as he looked down at her.  Genesis was staring in shock as well.  Kris was shakily trying to get to her feet and missed both looks.  Genesis shook his stupor off quickly and helped her to sit on a chair next to the bathroom.  “Wait here.”

She gave him a nod, and he re-entered the bathroom and brought back a glass of water.  While she started sipping on it to clear the nasty taste, Zack finally spoke.  “Sis, what happened to you?  Your eyes… can you see?”

She looked up with confusion.  “Of course, I’m looking at you, aren’t I?”

Genesis had knelt by her side and took one of her hands.  “Love, you have no irises.”

“What?”  Kris felt a slight panic at his words.  Instead of answering, he stood and went back into the bathroom once more.  He returned with a small hand mirror.  Kris swallowed before she held it up.  She gasped at what she saw.  She no longer had the onyx eyes she was used to seeing.  In their place was a swirling blue.  There were no whites or pupils, simply blue.  They were almost mesmerizing, even to her as she watched the color eddy.

It was several moments before she looked back to them with a sigh.  “Well, the Goddess did say that I would be changed.”  The two men shared a worried look.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't shoot me yet. I know I keep saying that Kris' past will be revealed, but these characters are complex and can't be rushed. (I know they are my creation lol. I guess that means my brain won't be rushed, but still..) the point is, the very next scene is where it starts, so don't worry that it will be long. I'm already working on it. Thank you all for reading!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soundtrack for this chapter is 'Demons' the Kurt & Company version. Also, I need to add a trigger warning. The last three paragraphs contain descriptions of violence. Nothing explicit, but just in case I will mark the start with **.

##  **Chapter 27**

After her announcement, Zack knelt as well.  “Can you tell us what happened back there?  One second Seph looked like he was about to attack that woman and the next she’s plunging a weapon into your back.  And it didn’t even cause a wound.”

Kris weakly patted his shoulder.  “Would you mind if I cleaned up and got a little more rest before I try to deal with this?  I know you all deserve an explanation, but I just can’t, not right now.”

Zack gave her a worried look but finally nodded and stood.  “I’ll tell them we will talk about it tomorrow.”

She grabbed his hand before he could turn and leave.  “I can hear Sephiroth pacing in the hallway.  Let them know that I’m okay, but don’t mention my eyes.  Please.”

Both men gave her curious looks.  They could hear the footfalls as well, but neither expected an unenhanced person to be able to.  It seemed as though there were more changes than just her eyes, but that was something that could be discussed later.  Zack gave her a nod and kissed her cheek before he turned and left.

Once her brother was gone, she tried to stand and nearly fell on her face.  Genesis was, thankfully, there to help her.  She sighed as she eyed the bathroom longingly.  She felt disgusting.  When she had woken, she was clammy, and the sticky sweat had dried.  She was nearly sick again at the feeling.

Genesis noticed the look and tried to keep a smirk from his face as he wrapped an arm around her waist to help her stand.  “I can help if you are that set on a shower.”

She glared up at him, but there was no heat.  It didn’t last long either as she gave him a smile.  He didn’t miss how hollow it looked and felt another sliver of worry crawl under his skin.  He tried not to let it show as she answered.  “You have even worse timing than I do.  That sounds amazing; another time.”

He shook his head.  “You can barely stand.  At least allow me to help you into the bath.  I promise to be as appropriate as possible.”

She wanted to chuckle, but she was just too tired to care.  He could feel her up as much as he wanted and she doubted it would manage to get any reaction from her, good or bad.  She felt sorry about it too as she remembered the last time he had his hands on her.  Those memories helped push back the rest that were waiting just under the surface.  She patted his arm.  “I _need_ to get clean.  I would take any help I can get at this point.”

He raised a brow, and she rolled her eyes.  Neither of them said anything though, as he had her sit back down while he ran the water.  Once that was started, he went back and helped her stand.  She had only been wearing the shirt from her uniform, so she hadn’t needed help getting it off.  She tried not to blush as he helped her remove the last bit of her clothes.  She smiled at the fact that his touch affected her more than she thought it would.  She took it as a good sign.

She leaned on his shoulder as she stepped into the bath.  She let out a long sigh as she sank into the hot water.  When he stood to go, she grabbed his arm.  Her face was slightly flushed when she spoke.  “Would you stay with me?”

Genesis didn’t miss the flash of fear in her eyes, despite the heat in her cheeks.  After a moment he knelt and lifted a brow.  “Need a hand washing your back?”

She shook her head and chuckled.  “You’re incorrigible.”

He flashed her a smirk before he brushed some hair from her face.  “I promise never to leave your side again.”

Kris felt tears pooling in her eyes at his words.  They were the most beautiful thing she had heard in ages.  She didn’t get to say anything before he pushed her shoulder slightly.  “Take your time.  I’ll be right here.”

She didn’t argue and leaned back.  She floated there for several minutes and allowed the water to work on her sore muscles.  She still felt like she had been run over twice, but the bath helped a little.  After several moments, she sighed and sat up to finish cleaning.

She groaned as she lifted her arms to try and wash her back.  Genesis didn’t ask before he took the rag from her hands and turned her to face away from him.  She smiled as she enjoyed the feel of his nimble fingers on her skin.  He used a cup to rinse her off before he started on her hair.  Kris was a little shocked that he was going so far out of his way, but it felt so good.  She didn’t want him to stop.

As he was running his fingers through her hair to rinse the last of the conditioner from it, he finally spoke.  “I do not want to press you, but as the Goddess left, she left a message to give to you.”

Kris turned to him with a frown.  The bath had worked to allow her to push the pain and worry down.  The reminder was harsh, but she didn’t hold it against him.  She tried to erase the frown as he helped her out and into a towel.  “What did she say?”

He didn’t answer right away.  He waited until he had finished drying her hair as good as possible with the towel.  He wrapped it around her and took her back to the bed.  He didn’t speak until after he set her down.  Kris wasn’t sure what to think of his extra careful behavior but tried not to let it show as he sat next to her.

“She told us that you were our key to survival, and then told us to pass on a message as a token of her gratitude.”

Kris was curious, but she could feel something writhing in her stomach.  She had a feeling that whatever it was, was not going to be pleasant for her to hear.  “What was it?”

Genesis saw the flash in her eyes and pulled her closer before he answered.  “She told us to tell you that your father was never there.  She said you would understand.”

Kris froze.  She didn’t have to wonder what it meant.  She did indeed understand, and it was both wonderful and horrible.  It brought everything she had been trying to avoid crashing to the surface, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.  She held onto Genesis as wrenching sobs racked her.

He was beginning to wonder if he had been wrong to tell her.  It wasn’t until she started trying to talk that he began to get an inkling into why she was crying.  “He’s alive!  He wasn’t hurt.”  Genesis didn’t say anything.  He simply held her while she let it all out.

After several minutes, her sobs finally slowed enough that he dared speak.  “You do not have to share, but if it would help, listening is the least I can do.”

Kris was torn.  It was already at the surface of her thoughts, and she doubted she would be able to sleep now.  However, just thinking about pulling that nightmare into the light had tears falling again.  Finally, she nodded.  “Would you lay with me while we talk?”

Genesis answered by laying her back and pulling the covers over them both before he gathered her closer.  She snuggled into his chest and sighed.  “I’m not really sure where to start.”

He placed a kiss on the top of her head.  “Start where you are most comfortable.  We have as long as you need.”

She smiled slightly at his reassurance, but it was brief.  She took a few minutes to try and organize her thoughts.  This was likely to be a long story.  “I guess I should start by telling you a little about who I was.”

Genesis stilled.  She had already said several times that her previous life was gone and unreachable.  He had felt that whatever happened had made her want to keep her distance, but after the Goddess’ words, he began to wonder if Kris had meant it literally when she said Felicity was dead.  The thought gave him chills, but he tried not to let it show as she continued.

“Ironically enough, I was an heiress.” 

He pulled back far enough to look down at her with incredulity.  “An heiress?”  When her only response was to nod with a smile, his look grew even more confused.  “I have never known an heiress that could stand against Soldiers.”

She laughed lightly.  “That is an interesting story all on its own.  My mother died when I was two, and afterward, my father could never tell me no.  When my aunt told him that proper ladies need to be part of something like ballet, he tried to sign me up, and somehow I ended up enrolled at the dojo next door.  That was when I was four.  I ended up becoming a double black belt by the time I was sixteen.”

He chuckled and kissed her forehead.  “Somehow, I find it easy to imagine you wrapping anyone around your finger.”

She smiled up.  “Like you?”

He gave her a mock glower.  “So, you were an heiress with a talent for martial arts.  What else?”

She sobered as she tried to continue.  “My father hired a nanny not long after my mother died.  He was a busy man and couldn’t handle a toddler, especially since he was gone often.  I couldn’t have asked for anyone better than Ms. Comeaux.  She took care that the household ran smoothly as well as making sure I didn’t skip my studies.”  She paused and smiled.  “She even taught me how to cook.”

By that point, Kris was lost in her memories.  Genesis could see the far off look in her eyes and wondered what could have happened to change these pleasant memories into the horror he saw earlier.  He didn’t try to interrupt her, though.  He knew they would get there eventually.

“When I turned thirteen, my father had me start attending meetings with him occasionally.  He wanted me to take over as president when I was old enough.  When we left, Ms. Comeaux went with us-“  She cut herself off at that point and Genesis froze when he saw tears start again. 

He wiped them away and pulled her closer.  “You don’t have to continue if you can’t.”

She took several moments to get herself back under control again but finally pulled back.  “I think I need to.”

He gave her a questioning look but allowed her to finish.  “Ms. Comeaux had a son that was only a year older than me.  His name was Brandt.  Since they lived with us, we were practically raised as siblings.”

Genesis drew in a sharp breath at the parallels to the present.  If anything had happened to the boy, Kris’ reactions to Zack would be understandable.  Kris hadn’t noticed his shock, though, as she was starting into the painful memories.  The closer she got to the ones from her nightmares, the harder it was for her not to break down again.  She forced herself to keep going.

“We were close growing up.  If I wasn’t in lessons, then we were usually doing something together.”  She smiled sadly.  “We played games, climbed trees, got into trouble.  We were always together.”

She shifted, so she was closer to Genesis’ warmth before she continued.  “When I started traveling with my father, they would come too.  Or at least Ms. Comeaux would.  She had to make sure I stayed on track.  Brandt didn’t always come.  If we were going to be gone for more than a week, he would stay with his aunt.  It was at that time that we started growing apart.  We still spent time together when we could, but it was just as often that he was busy doing other things.  I regret it now, but at the time, I didn’t have time to worry about it much.  I was given more responsibility, as well.  There were a lot of expectations put on me.”

She didn’t say anything after that for long enough that Genesis wondered if she had started falling asleep.  When he pulled back, he saw that she was crying again.  She had been attempting to keep quiet so he wouldn’t hear her.  She tried to wipe them away, but he stopped her and wiped them himself.  Whatever she was still holding in was obviously hard for her.

She grimaced and wouldn’t meet his eye as she stared again.  “When I turned seventeen, my father decided I didn’t need a nanny anymore.  He gave Ms. Comeaux a generous severance package and allowed her to stay in one of his properties until she was able to find another job.  He also gave her a glowing reference.  She had known it was coming since she started and was gracious about it.  We actually stayed in touch afterward.  I would try to visit every few days when I was home.  She made the best fajitas.”

Genesis felt his heart clench.  One of the few things that had stuck with her even after her memory loss was how to make the dish her surrogate mother taught her.  He didn’t need to know more than that to know that Kristobel had to have held the woman in high regard.  He brushed back her hair and kissed her forehead.  “She sounds like a lovely woman.  You were lucky to have such an influence growing up.”

She tried to give him a smile, but it fell flat as she was crying again.  “Yeah, I was.”  She paused and took a deep breath.  “The problem was that Brandt didn’t take it as well.  I don’t know what he thought would happen, but when he was forced to move out, he broke all contact with me.”

She buried her face once more, and Genesis was sure that if his hearing had not been enhanced, he probably would not be able to hear her.  “I guess the fact that I missed him was what made it so easy.  He called me out of the blue after several months and asked if I wanted to meet for dinner.  I was thrilled.”  Genesis felt cold creep through his veins.  He hoped he was wrong.  He prayed to Minerva that he was wrong.

Kris’ voice was breaking, but she forced herself to get the last of it out.  “When I met him, he must have put something in my drink, because I don’t remember most of that night.  When I woke up, I was in an old house.  I’m pretty sure it was in the middle of nowhere because I couldn’t hear any traffic and never any people.”

Genesis pulled her closer reflexively, but she was lost in the memory.  “At first, he would just yell at me.  He would try to make me acknowledge him as my real sibling and that he had a place in our household.  He would also try to convince me that he would let me go if I just made sure he and his mother were taken care of.  I tried to tell him that I did think of him that way, but then he would revert to threats.  It was all about money to him.”

“Kristobel-“  Genesis wasn’t sure what he was going to say, but he had already heard enough.  Somehow, he knew he didn’t want to hear the rest.  She looked up at him, and even with her strange new eyes, he could easily read the fear and pain she was barely holding in.

**

“Genesis, he tortured me.  I don’t know how long he kept me, but after a week of yelling and threats, he tied me up and left me in the basement.  The only time I would see him was when he came down to beat me.  When he got tired of beating me, he moved to breaking my bones or cutting me.  Anything to make me scream and beg.  When I came close to dying, he would leave me alone for several days at a time.  I lost track of how long I was down there, and at one point I wasn’t sure if I would die from him or from malnutrition.  It was a waking nightmare.  It finally got to the point that I was begging him to kill me.  There was no point, no out.  He even told me that he had my father in another room.  He would play clips of him crying.  I wanted to die.  I wanted it to end.”

She had started sobbing by that point and could no longer talk.  Genesis sat up and pulled her into his lap before he wrapped the covers around them again.  His blood was boiling.  Whoever the boy was, if he were still alive, he would not be for long.  As a Rhapsodos and a Soldier, he was not without resources.  He started rubbing small circles on her back as he tried to soothe her.  “That is a memory.  One I can understand you trying to block.  I swear on my honor that you will never be subjected to anything like it again.  You are safe.”

Kris could not stop shaking or crying.  It was out.  She could already tell that talking about it would help her, but not now.  Now, she was still trying desperately to remind herself that it was in the past.  She had moved on.  Life started over, and she was not going to let her past rule her.  She finally ended up crying herself to sleep again.  Genesis did not join her.  Even after he was sure she was sleeping soundly, he kept her cradled in his lap.  He would never let her feel that alone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was harsh, but we finally get to see most of the truth about Kris/Felicity. We are also to the point I have been aiming for since I started this binge. That means, I will be moving to Even Demons Can Be Saved for a little bit. I hope that I can hold on to this drive and we will see a lot of updates across the board. I really hope you enjoyed, even though it was sad. For any of you that couldn't read the small section at the end, we find out that Kris was tortured by the man she thought of as her brother. That has been the source of all her nightmares. And we see a very pissed off Genesis.


	28. Chapter 28

##  **Chapter 28**

Genesis was still awake as the sun started to shine through the sheer curtains.  He was lost in thoughts of how to accomplish his newest goal.  He was drawn from those bloody images when Kris stirred in his lap.  He looked down to see her mesmerizing eyes look around with fear before they settled on his own, and he felt her relax against him.

She pushed back a little and sat up.  When she looked down to see she was still nude, her head shot back up, and her cheeks were heated.  Her voice was surprisingly even.  “Did you sleep with me in your lap all night?”

He tried not to grimace at the question.  He was only partially successful as he reached out and smoothed a few stray strands of hair from her face.  “Did you sleep well?”

Kris narrowed her eyes at him and leaned forward slightly.  “You didn’t sleep, did you?”

He sighed but wasn’t surprised at her insistence.  He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.  “I had too much on my mind.”

Kris stiffened as she realized some of the things he might be talking about.  The reminder of getting her past all out made her stomach churn, but she was surprisingly able to push it down enough that she just frowned at him.  Her words were hesitant, but she managed to speak without crying again.  “I am not sure if you mean about you or about what we talked about, but if it is the latter, I will ask that you let it go.  I can barely deal with it as it is.  For now, I think it would be best if I focus on convincing myself it is in the past.”

He clenched his jaw and didn’t speak right away.  Finally, he sighed and tucked her under his chin.  “I cannot promise to not think about it, but I will promise to not bring it up around you again.  You are safe now, and I want to make sure you have no reason to doubt it.”

Kris still felt the past trying to crawl out of the dark corners she had pushed it to, so she focused on Genesis’ promise to keep her safe and the warm feel of his arms to ground her to the present.

It was several minutes later that she was reminded once again that she was snuggled in his lap with nothing between them but the pants he had slept in.  Or rather, not slept in.  Not that it mattered to her embarrassment.  She sat back but didn’t go far.  She wasn’t sure which would be worse, jumping up and making a beeline for the bathroom and ensuring he also remembered her lack of clothes and noticed her embarrassment, or just staying there until he decided to move.  She finally decided on the latter.

She reminded herself that she couldn’t live in the past, or she wouldn’t be able to live at all.  To try and distract herself, she shifted slightly, so she was straddling his hips instead of snuggling against him.  The slight change made all the difference in the world.  Her cheeks heated a little when she looked up and noticed his eyes had dilated somewhat, and his lips were parted.

His voice was concerned.  “Kristobel, I know you are still dealing with everything that has come to light.  I cannot take advantage of that.”

Kris sighed.  It was too easy for him to see through her.  Still, even though her decision had been based on trying to distract herself, once she could feel his heat, it brought back memories of a much sweeter variety.  She didn’t need to convince herself that she wanted him.  She leaned a little closer before she responded.

“I will not lie and say that I am alright.  I won’t even try to tell you that I’m not still hurt by what you did, but that doesn’t mean I can’t want you.  I still love you.  I wouldn’t have chased you halfway around the world otherwise.  I’m not going anywhere.”

Genesis sighed and leaned his head back against the headboard.  Kris could feel his muscles tighten, but he didn’t pull her closer.  It was several tense moments later that he sat back up with a frown.  “I have no plans to let you go.  I did promise to never leave your side again.  That doesn’t mean I am willing to take advantage of you when you are emotionally vulnerable.”

Kris was torn.  Part of her wondered if he still saw her as the woman he made love to in Midgar or only something to protect.  She shook her head to rid herself of the thought, but it wasn’t going anywhere.  She swallowed and tried to get her feelings out.    
“Genesis, if the only reason you are keeping me here is because you think the goddess would want you to, then I can’t allow that.  I… I love you, and I had hoped there was more between us than that.”

That was one of the hardest sentences Kris had ever forced herself to say.  She wasn’t given long to worry about it, though.  Genesis instantly crushed her to his chest and whispered in her ear.  “Love, you are a gift and a blessing, but that is not why I want you.  I want you by my side because I am selfish and cannot think of living without you.  I was a fool to leave you in Midgar.”

She felt tears on her face again, but she was smiling when she sat back.  “That is more like it.  You should know by now that we are both too stubborn to just walk away.”

He shook his head with a wry smile.  “Indeed.” 

Kris squealed a little as he pulled her closer and got to his knees.  She wrapped her legs around him as she didn’t know where he was going.  He didn’t go far, though.  All he did was lean her back and lay her down.  His eyes softened.  “My love, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the Goddess.”  Those were the last words said for a long while as they got lost in each other once again.

* * *

 

Kris had almost fallen asleep against Genesis again before he stirred.  She groaned when he kissed her forehead and got out of bed.  She hadn’t wanted to admit that there was more they had to face still.  For just a little bit, she wanted to pretend it was only the two of them.

She sat up and stretched.  She was still a little sore.  A fact that wasn’t helped by there recent activities, but she only grinned at the thought.  She wasn’t about to complain about it. 

Before she could stand to get dressed, Genesis padded back to her with something in his hand.  She almost missed it since she was mesmerized by the way his muscles moved smoothly under his skin.  Her mouth went dry at the memory of what those arms and legs were capable of.  It wasn’t until he knelt in front of her and took her hand that she realized there was more to his actions than getting ready.

She frowned when he didn’t speak right away.  His hesitation was out of character, and it had alarm bells going off in her mind.  She covered his hand with her other one before he finally spoke.  “Love, I know it was wrong of me to let Angeal give this to you.  If you would allow it, I would like to rectify that mistake.”

Kris froze.  She didn’t need to ask what he was talking about.  She also wasn’t prepared for this conversation.  Time wasn’t going to wait for her, though.  Genesis opened his hand to reveal the ring that she had been wearing around her neck.  She felt her heart rate spike as he looked into her eyes.

“I understand if you are unwilling to accept this now, but I would still like to ask you to be my wife.  The proper way.  Kristobel, will you marry me?”

Kris had no idea how to respond.  She wanted to say yes.  She had even told him less than an hour ago that she was planning to never let him out of her sight again, but marriage was something else.  She had so much to work through in her own head that she couldn’t bring herself to burden another with it too.

She wrapped her hand around his.  Not to negate him, but to cover the sight of the ring while she tried to make a coherent response.  “Genesis, I do want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I think I need time right now.  It has nothing to do with you, but I’m so messed up that I don’t want to start something and have it fall apart because I’m not ready.”

He gently squeezed her hand but didn’t respond right away.  It seemed this was important enough for them both to take their time and think before speaking.  Finally, he nodded and kissed her forehead.  “I have faith that we will work through both our problems together, so there is no rush.  If you do not object, I would ask that you keep this.  You can wear it on the chain for now and place it on your finger when you want the world to know that you are mine and only mine.  I am content to wait.”

Kris’ breath was coming faster.  Part of her wanted to put it on right that minute, but she couldn’t move her hand.  The moment passed, and Genesis stood.  He only took a few steps and was back with a new chain.  She took it from him wordlessly.  Before he could walk away again, she grabbed his hand.

“You do know that I am yours and always will be even without this, right?”

He gave her a sad smile and nodded.  Given what he had learned of her past, it wasn’t surprising that she needed time to learn to trust again.  His departure had most likely made it worse, even if she did claim to forgive him.  It was something he would have to learn to deal with.  In time, he was sure he would be able to prove his commitment.  Until then, he would focus on the problems keeping them from that future.

* * *

 

Once the two of them were dressed, Genesis led her downstairs.  It was already midmorning, so they assumed the rest of their group would have already gone down for breakfast, at least.

Despite the gravity of their earlier conversation, Kris was in a shockingly good mood.  Between their activities and knowing that Genesis really did want to marry her, she felt like she was floating on air.  Even if she hadn’t really answered yet, she still felt warm and fuzzy, knowing he wanted her.  She tried not to think about how contradictory that line of thinking was.

She smiled and waved as they walked into the dining room, and everyone was there, including Angeal, and Genesis’ parents.  “Good morning!”

She took a step back when everyone turned to her, and their eyes widened.  She almost turned and ran when Sephiroth suddenly stood and grabbed her arms.  He looked down at her intently.  At least he was gentle.  His voice was low and full of an unnamed emotion when he spoke.  “This is my fault, isn’t it?”

Kris gave him a confused look.  She had no idea what he was talking about.  At least not until Genesis spoke.  “Unhand her.  Can’t you see you’re scaring her?  Besides, she told us she would explain this morning once she was rested.”

Kris’ confusion instantly turned to resignation.  The real world had finally come crashing in and would not be put off longer.  She patted Sephiroth’s arm when he let her go.  “It isn’t your fault at all.  It was my choice.”

Sephiroth gave her a confused look, but Genesis spoke up again.  “Kristobel, why don’t you get something to eat and then we will go over everything.”

She gave him a questioning glance, but he only pointed at the table where there were still several items waiting.  The sight of it had her stomach reminding her that it had been some time since she ate, so she sat and helped herself.

Most of the people around her were watching with apprehension, and it made her nervous.  She was thankful when Zack sat beside her with a grin.  “So, sis, you were in an awfully good mood when you came in at least.  I’m glad to see it.  It’s a big change from last night.  What happened?”

Kris froze with a piece of toast halfway to her mouth.  She could feel her face heat, and she could feel laughter starting to bubble up.  She put the toast down slowly and turned to look him in the eye.  “Tadpole, one of these days, you are going to learn to not ask questions you don’t want the answer to.”

He gave her a confused look that bordered on hurt, but it didn’t last long.  He jumped up and back and tried to cover his eyes and ears at the same time.  “Oh, man!  Why’d you have to say that!”

Kris quit trying to stifle her laughter at that point, and Zack glared at her.  The interactions between the siblings seemed to break the pall on the rest of the room, as well.  As Zack was still mumbling under his breath about trying to clean that image from his mind, a beautiful woman approached Kris with some trepidation and sat on her other side.

Kris gave her a curious look, but neither of them got to speak before her attention was jerked to where Genesis was talking to Tseng in low tones.  Kris stood so fast the woman gasped.  Kris spared her an apologetic glance but turned immediately.  “Genesis, don’t!”

He frowned at her, and she shook her head.  “Don’t.  I asked you to let it go.”

His eyes widened as he had not expected her to be able to hear him from across the room.  His shock quickly gave way to anger.  “I swore I would not speak of it in front of you, not that I would let it go.”

She ignored the looks on them as she stalked to where he was.  “There is nothing you can accomplish besides dragging it out.  He is out of your reach!”

Genesis looked like he was about to start yelling, but Kris almost seemed to deflate and continued.  “Besides, even if he weren’t, I would ask that you not do anything.”

He grabbed her arm and lifted her chin so he could see her eyes that were filled with tears once again.  He wanted to curse, but he somehow managed to keep his voice calm.  “How could I possibly pretend it never happened.  How could you believe I would do nothing?”

Kris’ voice was ragged and nearly inaudible, though the Soldiers heard it all.  “Genesis, one parent already lost their child. Would you have me condemn Marie to the same fate?  If he was caught and justice was served, then that was out of my hands.  I would not wish that pain on her though.  She… she didn’t deserve that.”

Genesis sighed and pulled her into a crushing hug.  He had not considered the fact that the boy’s mother was as much Kristobel’s for all intents and purposes.  Of course, she would not want the woman to be hurt.  He let her calm before he whispered near her ear.  “I will let it drop, for now.”

Kris looked up with a frown, but only for a moment.  She sighed and stepped back.  “I suppose that will have to be good enough.”

At that point she turned and saw the entire room had watched their drama with rapt interest.  Zack, in particular, looked worried.  He was the first to step forward.  “Kris, why would Genesis want someone dead on your behalf?”

It was a question they all wondered.  It wasn’t hard to deduce that was what the conversation had been about.  There were very few reasons Soldiers would seek out favors from a Turk, and that was at the top of the list.

Kris grimaced and shook her head.  “I can’t right now, Zack.  Not now.”

Her brother gave her another worried look, but he didn’t press her.  He could tell she was still upset by something.  Genesis stepped into the silence and squeezed her hand before he looked over the gathered people.  “I suppose, that means we should get into why you are all here.”

Sephiroth spoke up.  “We came because Kris insisted you had a good reason for leaving, but would not tell us why.  She said you would explain everything once we found you.  After yesterday, I am inclined to believe her.  However, that was far from natural.  What is going on?”

Zack piped up then as well.  “Yeah, I mean, I get that there is a bunch of stuff I don’t understand, but you got yourself involved now, so that means so am I.  What are we facing?”

Kris smiled at her brother’s enthusiasm and tried not to think of the images that might have been.  She had already made the decision to do all she could to prevent them, and something told her the Goddess had given her more than a few tools to help.  She looked up to a scowling Genesis before she looked out again.  “It is a long and unpleasant story, but we are all part of it now.  Why don’t we find a place to get comfortable and Genesis and I will go over it all.”

She heard her lover sigh beside her before he spoke.  “The drawing-room should be big enough for everyone.  Why don’t we head there.”

When his parents stood as well, he glared at them, but Kris pulled on his hand.  His glare transferred to her, but she just raised a brow at the look.  “They are part of it too.  You can’t ignore them.”

They both gave her a shocked look.  They had barely been able to believe the bits of conversation they had picked up between the Soldiers, at least until they saw the slip of a girl when she came in.  Her eyes were enough to validate all of it.  Still, they had not expected her to champion their presence.  Genesis had not said more than a few words to them since coming back to Banora.  Not that they blamed him.  They were aware that Hollander was with him as well, so his anger was understandable.

Their shock only grew when Genesis’ glare finally melted into grudging acceptance, and he turned to them before he nodded.  Despite how grave the situation was, as parents, they couldn’t help but wonder at the girl that seemed to have such pull with their son.  Was he really in love?  That was only one of many questions that plagued them as they followed the rest of the group to their drawing-room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if it seems like I am having a hard time focusing, but I am lol. Eve and Seph are still rattling around in my head and I can't seem to get them out, but I refuse to give up. I hope this was still at least up to par. For now, please enjoy!


	29. Chapter 29

##  **Chapter 29**

One they were settled, a tense silence settled over everyone.  No one really knew where to start.  Kris hadn’t even decided if she wanted to share what might have been.  As far as she could tell, it could cause more harm than good.  It might be enough if they all found out the truth about what had been done and what was still going on.

They were all surprised when the drawing-room door opened, and the maid escorted Hollander in.  The scientist was already grumbling about Genesis and his absence.  They were further shocked when Kris jumped up and nearly blurred she moved so fast.  There were several gasps when they saw her much smaller form pin the shocked man to the wall.

Hollander looked down with a mixture of shock and unveiled interest, but he didn’t seem to be afraid.  He even smirked once his shock wore off.  “And who are you?”

Kris growled at him, but she didn’t get a chance to say anything as Genesis had come up to her.  He put a hand on her shoulder.  “Let him go.”

She glared over at him, and her eyes flashed.  “Why?  So he can keep poisoning you with lies?  He’s clueless and using you.  The only way I’m letting him out of my grasp alive is if you take him and tie him up until we are done.  Once that’s finished, I have no doubt you’ll kill him yourself.”

Both men gave her shocked looks, but it was Zack that had come to her other side and had both hands up trying to calm her.  “Hey, sis, let’s all calm down and talk this out.”

Kris clenched her jaw to try and hold back her retort.  Part of her knew that without context, the others had no reason to understand her actions.  That didn’t stop her from shaking in rage.  She glared up at the scientist whose looked had become interested again before she shoved him hard against the wall and stepped away.

As soon as she did, Genesis grabbed his arm.  Hollander ignored it as he spoke.  “So, that is your newest playtoy?  I thought you decided to get rid of her?”  Both Genesis and Kris growled at his callous statement, but he only chuckled.  He obviously didn’t realize he wasn’t out of danger.

His confident demeanor changed slightly when Genesis turned to the maid that was still in the doorway.  “Moira, will you please bring me a long, sturdy length of rope.  I believe there should be some in the shed.”

The maid’s eyes widened, but she bowed quickly and rushed to do as she was asked.  Genesis ignored Hollander’s sputtered questions as he marched him to a wooden chair and tossed him down.  He glared at him when he tried to get up.  “I do not know why Kristobel holds such venom for you, but I trust she has a reason.  I will hear it out, and then we will decide what needs to be done.  We are not animals, so at least you can rest assured the outcome will be fair.”

Hollander tried to stand again at that point, but he fell back as he noticed there were several scowling Soldiers between him and the door.  He hadn’t even thought to bring anything with him either.  He was cursing his luck as they all sat in silence and waited for the maid to return.

Kris was fuming the whole time, but she managed to get herself under control.  She realized that her hold on her temper was worse than usual, and now was not a good time for it.  She would have to figure out how to put aside her own issues and help the Soldiers deal with theirs, or they could all end up in trouble.  The thought was almost overwhelming, and she wondered again if Minerva had made the right choice. She knew it couldn’t be undone, though.

By the time she had calmed enough to not want to rip Hollander to shreds, Moira had returned with the requested rope.  It didn’t take long for Genesis to tie him to the chair.  Once that was done, the rest of the room settled, and they all turned to Genesis and Kris.  Sephiroth was the first to speak.  “What did you mean earlier when you said your eyes were caused by your choice, and not by me?”

Kris sighed and looked over at Genesis.  She still had no idea how she needed to go about this, but she had to try.  “When you nearly attacked Minerva, do you remember why?”

Sephiroth frowned and didn’t answer right away.  He was still frowning when he answered.  “Everything, after we got to that cave, is fuzzy.  I barely remember any of it.  At least not until after you passed out.”

Kris nodded.  She wasn’t surprised by that answer.  “That was probably because Jenova was trying to gain control and stop whatever the Goddess had planned.”

He sat back with a start.  Genesis looked at her with shock as well.  She could hear Hollander’s exclamation from the other side of the room too.  She ignored them all and kept going.  “Jenova is not your mother, no matter what the jackass Hojo told you.  He’s as much of a lying sack of shit as Hollander is, maybe worse.  What she is, is the destroyer of the Cetra race.  She came to Gaia more than 2000 years ago and caused the mutations and plagues that nearly caused them to go extinct.  The handful that remained managed to trap her, but her consciousness is still active.”

She finally looked over at Hollander at that point and tried not to snarl.  “You assholes have no idea what the hell you did.”

At that point, she took a few deep breaths to get her temper back under control and looked back to where Sephiroth still looked stunned.  Genesis had started pacing.  She could see questions brewing behind the eyes of the rest of her companions, as well.  Even Zack was looking at her like he didn’t know her.  That hurt, but she tried to push it down as she stood.  “Look, I am sure you all have a lot of questions.  Let me get out the basics, and then we can try to go over them, please?”

Genesis moved to her side at that point.  He took her hand, and she could see that he wanted to know how she knew as well, but he pushed his curiosity down and nodded.  “What did you mean that her consciousness is still active?”

Kris gave his hand a grateful squeeze and took a deep breath to try and smooth her frazzled nerves.  She chastised herself.  She had been raised better than this.  She knew how to handle stressful situations.

She then looked back to Sephiroth and squared her shoulders.  “First, let me start by telling you that your real mother is Professor Lucrecia Crescent.  She did work with Professors Hojo and Gast on the Jenova project, but you were taken from her as soon as you were born.  Despite her poor judgment, she never wanted you to be harmed.”

Sephiroth’s brow furrowed.  He stood and walked a few steps away before he looked back.  “What is the Jenova project?”

At his question, Hollander started yelling.  “Don’t!  That is classified information!  You can’t!”

Kris glared back at him.  “Really?  Who here isn’t part of it, besides Zack, and I suppose me.  But since I already know it all, I think it’s a moot point.  You might want to keep quiet and hope we forget you’re there.”

Hollander blinked at her owlishly for several moments, but he shut up.  He suddenly realized that he was in a situation that he couldn’t easily manipulate his way out of.  Instead, he tried to focus on how to undo his bonds while the rest turned back to face the girl.

When Kris turned back around, she looked to Genesis with a sigh.  “I think this is where you should tell them your reasons for leaving.  Why don’t you tell them all you know and I’ll step in if needed.”

He scowled slightly but nodded.  He was still sneering when he faced the rest, but at the sight of Angeal’s questioning face, his expression fell.  “My friends, the fates are cruel.  There are no dreams, no honor remains.  We are all part of a project that started before our births.  The Jenova Project G gave birth to myself and Angeal, while Project S gave birth to Sephiroth.  I found all of this out when I was injured and could not be healed.  Hollander told me a few of the details and agreed to help me if I left with him.”

“I will not get into all of the details, but under differing circumstances, we were all inundated with the cells from a being that was found in a 2000-year-old rock strata.  Professor Gast believed her to be an Ancient, but-“  He paused and looked at Kris with a frown before he continued.  “That does not seem to be the case.”

Kris shook her head.  “No, the Cetra called her the Calamity From the Sky or Heaven’s Dark Harbinger.  She was the destroyer of their race.”

Tseng frowned and finally spoke up for the first time.  “How do you know any of this?”

Kris had to fight not to cringe.  She knew the question would come up at some point, but she refused to tell them how exactly.  She had no doubt that the truth would be too much to believe, even after they saw the Goddess in person.  She managed to shrug.  “Would you believe me if I told you the Goddess told me?”

Tseng frowned at her apparent flippancy and almost stood.  She held out her hands and sighed.  “Wait, if you don’t want to take my word for it, it can be proven.  Even if you can’t get into Hojo’s files right away, there is another way.  At least for part of the information.”

Tseng was still frowning, but he sat back and gave her a look that relayed his patience was not long in running out.  She repressed another sigh.  “Look, when Professor Gast escaped Shinra with Ifalna, they ended up in Icicle Inn, or I guess it’s called Modeoheim.  Whatever, the point is, they worked together for probably more than a year, and he recorded all of their sessions.  As far as I know, she was the last living full-blooded Cetra.  It wasn’t long after Aerith was born that Hojo finally found them and had Gast shot before he took both Ifalna and Aerith back.  All of that was recorded.  The recordings should still be there.”

Tseng had stood by that point, and everyone else was looking at her like she was an alien.  She wanted to laugh at the thought since technically, she was.  She refused to flinch back when Tseng stalked to stand in front of her.  He was only stopped by Genesis’ presence next to her.  Though, he didn’t seem to be focused on the Soldier. 

The Turk didn’t speak right away, and despite his mask, Kris could tell he was trying to calm himself.  When he finally did speak, his voice was clipped.  “You are claiming that Aerith is Gast’s daughter?”

Kris nodded.  Both of them shot Hollander a glare when he scoffed.  Thankfully, he cringed under their combined ire, and they turned back to more important matters.

Tseng’s eyes had narrowed.  “You do realize this is something easily verifiable.”

Kris snorted.  “Of course.  That’s why I shared it.”

Tseng took a sharp breath through his nose and stepped back.  He had not expected that answer.  His mind was racing with the possibilities.  Between what they had all seen the day before and what Genesis had shared, as well as this information, the probability that the company was about to be blown wide open was imminent.

Kris managed to get his attention.  “Look, we can’t let these experiments keep going, and trust me, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but that doesn’t mean starting a revolution if the way to do this.”

Tseng’s brows furrowed, and Genesis scowled.  It was her lover that spoke.  “You would have us go back as if nothing has happened?”

Kris raised a brow at him.  “Yes, that is exactly what I think you should do.  Honestly, even if you had a handful of Soldiers, you cannot stand up against the entirety of the Shinra company.  Not to mention, how many innocent lives do you think that would destroy?”

She paused and put her hand on his arm.  Her voice was so low that only the enhanced heard her.  “I agreed to become Minerva’s conduit so that I could help you, but that doesn’t mean I am alright with killing people unnecessarily.  There is another way.”

She hadn’t realized the other’s heard until she heard several gasps.  Genesis grasped her by the arms and was giving her a hard look.  “What do you mean, you agreed to become her conduit?”

Kris clenched her jaw.  There was just too much to cover and not enough time.  She looked up at him and pinned him with her swirling eyes.  “I was given a choice.  I was told that it was never her intention for me to become involved, but since I was there, I was given the option to help.  She said that her influence on the surface of the planet is minimal, which is why she needed a vessel to act through.  That was what you were witnessing yesterday.  I volunteered, and she used me to cleanse Jenova’s influence from Sephiroth.”

The silence after her statement was absolute for more than a minute.  No one knew quite what to say to that.  As unbelievable as it sounded, her eyes were enough proof that something had happened. 

Everyone was shocked when the silence was broken by Genesis’ mother.  She had stood at some point and taken a few steps toward Kris.  She had to swallow a few times at the look her son was giving her, but she managed to speak to the girl that he still grasped.  “Can you… can you do the same for Genesis?”

Kris’ expression softened, and she could feel tears pricking behind her eyes as she extricated herself from Genesis and turned to his mother with a smile.  “Yes.  That was the whole point.  Well, not just because of Genesis.  It was so I could help them all.  There is a lot more at stake here than a few lives if something isn’t done.”

She didn’t get to say anything else before she was engulfed in a crushing hug by the older woman.  Genesis’ mother had started sobbing, but Kris could still make out her thanks.  Genesis watched the whole thing with shock.  Despite what he had said to Kristobel, and the fact that he had not barred his parents from the room, he was still uncertain what he believed.  Watching now, he could not refute the fact that his mother loved him.  It was both liberating and crushing.  When he remembered what he had almost done, he felt self-loathing rage through him.

He wasn’t given a chance to let it continue as Angeal had come up next to him.  Somehow, his best friend always seemed to know precisely when to interfere.  Angeal kept his voice low, and his focus was on the two women.  “Well, at least I don’t need to worry about you feeling unloved.  This may be harsh right now, but something tells me once we get passed the hard part, things will be better than ever.”

Genesis scoffed, but his temper had already died down.  By that time, his mother had let go of Kristobel as well.  Kris stepped back with a sigh and looked at them all.  “Look, there is a lot that we all need to be caught up on, and it would be best if we could do this without jumping around or continuous interruptions.  Then we can make plans.”

Genesis had come back to her side by that point and took her hand.  He looked down at her with an unreadable expression but nodded.  “Agreed.  We all need to be on the same page first.”

At that point, Tseng spoke up.  It was clear that he had taken those few moments to get himself back under control.  “If you would allow me a few minutes before we get back into the details, please.  I will be right back.”  He didn’t wait for any response before he stepped out.  Kris wasn’t surprised at all.  She had no doubt that he was calling to have someone sent to Modeoheim.  She was alright with that.  The faster they could verify what she said, the faster they could move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are starting to see some movement! Things will be snowballing soon and I have a feeling a few won't survive, but don't worry, it won't be any of our favorite people. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!


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